"I felt like my chances were better jumping in the water, so that's what I did."
That's how Damian Hadley explains his decision to jump off the Buckman Bridge Monday night and into the St. Johns River below, after another driver lost control, while he was broken down on the side of the bridge.
"I jumped, a couple seconds later hit the water, swam up and swam to the pillars and held on for dear life," says Hadley.
He tells our partner Action News Jax, he was in the water for close to an hour and he thought it could be the end.
Hadley says, "So, I just decided to hold on and every time the traffic got low I screamed 'Help!' and eventually someone heard me."
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue eventually threw down a rope and a life jacket for him to hold, until a boat could come to his rescue.
He tells us while other people says he's lucky to be alive, he just believes he's been blessed by the graciousness of God.
Hadley also adds the other driver has been extremely apologetic about the whole thing. That driver has been cited.