John

I first met John Mangarelli in 2011. I saw him walking down the street with his cross in hand--so I parked and chased him down the sidewalk (he probably thought I was crazy). I explained my intentions and he agreed that I could follow him around and document his story.

Most people that I had talked to thought that he was homeless and that he was not right in the head but after speaking with him I learned he was just like everyone else except for one small detail. God had spoken to him and sent him on a mission to spread his word in a special way. 

John was an electrician by day, but by night he stood on various overpasses around the city of Charleston, SC with a wooden cross he had made by hand and waved to passing cars. 

It may seem a bit strange but John told me that he had stopped three people from taking their own lives. They came up to the overpass to jump and they would see John and take it as a sign from God that they had more to live for. 

I've never met anyone as dedicated to something based strictly on faith as John, and I'm not sure I ever will again.