[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
James Ransone is being hailed as a hero.
As we previously reported, The Wire actor died by suicide at only 46 years old on Friday. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner listed his cause of death as “hanging” in a “shed.” Heartbreaking. Since the news of his death broke, family and friends have taken to social media to pay tribute to James. Even a former neighbor is speaking out about his tragic death… and sharing a story of how he once saved her from a traumatic event years ago.
A woman named Molly Watts took to Instagram on Tuesday to honor the It star, saying she is forever “grateful” for him because her life would’ve been very different if it weren’t for him:
“I found out yesterday that @jamesransone died. I’m usually private but I want to publicly say I am so grateful that this man existed and don’t know if the trajectory of my life would be the same if he hadn’t.”
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Why? James saved her from being sexually assaulted outside their New York apartment back in 2006. She recalled:
“We were neighbors in Chinatown. Friendly, overlapping social circles. I was attacked at the threshold of our building. I screamed for help. No one came. My attacker put his hands around my throat so I would stop making noise. I couldn’t breathe. I remember the certainty that I was going to die or be raped as I was choked unconscious.”
How horrifying! However, James heard her, ran to her, and managed to get the guy off her just in time. The Sinister alum even chased down her attacker after he escaped. Molly continued:
“PJ heard my screams and ran to help. He came running shirtless, carrying a bat or pipe — I’m not sure which, because I never saw him in action. He scared my attacker, who ran. PJ chased him to the building he fled to. Because of the chase, the police were able to identify him, a repeat sexual offender. PJ saved me. I’m not sure if I would have the same life if he hadn’t run down that night. Even as an adult, I’m not sure how I would have handled the weight of what could have happened or how long it would take to heal — I was already emotionally fragile.”
She was incredibly lucky James was around! Wow!
Molly went on to say that what makes his death so difficult for her is how James endured similar trauma. The actor has publicly spoken out about his past struggles with drug addiction and childhood sexual abuse. She wrote:
“What’s especially hard for me with PJ’s passing is that he lived with that kind of violence. What I was spared, he endured in a different form, at an age where there is no emotional defense, and the self is still forming. I get the sense that PJ’s life was haunted by what happened to him then. This world is rarely gentle to people who are hurt, vulnerable, acting out.”
Molly said she wanted to reach out to James to thank him over the years, but never did — something she regrets in light of his death:
“Over the years, I have thought of PJ from time to time. I wanted to reach out to him to let him know how grateful I was that he ran towards my screams. I didn’t. I regret that.”
We’re so glad James was there to help that day. He sounds like such a stand-up guy. See the entire post (below):
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, by calling, texting, or chatting, or go to 988lifeline.org.
For resources on mental health, visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help.
[Image via FayesVision/WENN]
