Internet cry for help finds answer across the world

A New Zealand man who had contemplated suicide could owe his life to the moderator of an American internet discussion website.

The man wrote to the site saying he was feeling down and asking what might happen if he took a quantity of pills.

His message alarmed the site's administrator, who immediately searched for an email address to alert New Zealand police.

He found one at the bottom of a media release for Operation Burnside, the police inquiry into the shooting of Shayne Simes in Christchurch in June.

They forwarded the address to the police southern communications centre, which discovered the man had registered on the website using a Tauranga address.

Tauranga police staff visited the address and found the man was living in Canterbury.

Southern communications team leader Julie Brown then called him to confirm his whereabouts and state of mind.

She told the police Ten One magazine he sounded relieved to speak to her.

"He confirmed that he felt like he had run out of choices and needed help to manage the situation."

A patrol car was sent to his house and he was delivered to the care of a Canterbury health provider.

The centre later emailed the internet administrator thanking him for his prompt response to the man's plea for help.

Police spokesman Rob Lee told the Herald the outcome highlighted the power of the internet.

"It just shows how technology can span both nationally and internationally to get an outcome like this.

"We're just very pleased that the outcome was successful in terms of the man's health and wellbeing and for that of his family. The world has become a very small place via technology and it's changing very quickly."

The American administrator told Ten One he was relieved to hear the outcome.

"This was a rare opportunity to ... reach halfway around the world to try and help someone."