Suicidal mum reveals ex-football bad boy Chic Charnley rescued her from the brink as she headed home to kill herself
Joanna Renfrew says she would have been dead if she hadn't hailed ex-Hibernian star's cab as she was thinking about ending it all
A FORMER footy bad boy saved a suicidal mum's life on Christmas Eve when she was on the brink of taking her own life.
Joanna Renfrew says she would have been dead if she hadn't hailed ex-Hibernian star Chic Charnely's cab as she thought about ending it all.
The severely depressed 40-year-old had been pushed to the edge by a break-up and other personal issues which left her wanting to kill herself.
But as she set off to end her life from her home in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, she flagged down a taxi driven by the for Hibs and Partick Thistle midfielder.
The 53-year-old retired footballer managed to convince Joanne to carry on living, holding her hand and talking to her to convince her life was still worthwhile.
She told : “I said to the driver that failing that he should just take me to a bridge over the Clyde.
“The driver obviously knew what I had in mind and he started to talk to me.
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“Some people say taxi drivers can be a bit gruff, but this man had a real warmth and humanity.
“He talked to me and made me see there was light at the end of the tunnel."
Joanna had no idea that her driver was as famous footballer until her son picked her up from the taxi rank she returned to and recognised Charnley.
Chic just said he was relieved that Joanna was now on the mend saying: “I just talked to her and tried to calm her down. I’m just glad I could help."
He added: “I was quite upset by the whole thing afterwards.
“It was really good to know she was feeling better when she came down to the rank."
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