Big Damn Hero

[iguana_tonante]

It might be comforting to believe in God, but that doesn't mean there is one. Why would God guide you to save this guy and allow a local pedestrian (21 years old) near me to b hit by a truck going around a blind curve, forcing the onset of weeks of surgery that restored only a fraction of the young man's mobility?

God is pretty sloppy.

The truth is, the universe is entirely indifferent with regards to events.

Come on. At least my comment was silly and light-hearted. Don't drag this to the ground with your usual rants.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

It might be comforting to believe in God, but that doesn't mean there is one. Why would God guide you to save this guy and allow a local pedestrian (21 years old) near me to b hit by a truck going around a blind curve, forcing the onset of weeks of surgery that restored only a fraction of the young man's mobility?

God is pretty sloppy.

The truth is, the universe is entirely indifferent with regards to events.

Come on. At least my comment was silly and light-hearted. Don't drag this to the ground with your usual rants.

ahhh. just read it. nice!

 

[Pingfah]

Motorbike crash stories make my spine tingle, having narrowly avoided them in the past I cringe at the thought of the very likely eventuality that it will one day happen to me.

Well done Kommander, we need more like you.

 

[F. King Daniel]

You did good, Kommander!

Kongratulations

 

[Kommander]

Congrats, you probably saved the life of the next Hitler. When he's busy slaughtering humans by the billions using his genetically engineered killer penguins, let's talk about divine intervention.

In this case, always bet on coincidence. Less ground for theological dilemmas and ex post facto liability.



More seriously, well done.

The guy being the next Hitler is unlikely. So far, the odds of a person being Hitler is one in about 100 billion. I figured it was worth the risk.

Also, the nice thing about divine intervention is that it's indistinguishable from coincidence. If I believed it was divine intervention, and then it turns out the guy is evil, I can then change my mind and dismiss it as coincidence.

Definitely hero material stuff!

I wonder how he's doing now... I'll bet that guy would want to shake you by the hand once he recovers.

Not long ago, I witnessed a motorcyclist have a side-on collection with a taxi - the noise was deafening. I was convinced the guy would be dead on impact and so mangled it would not be something I want to see. It was a very busy road, a dozen or so people had already gathered around him, I didn't feel I had anything to contribute (except perhaps vomiting and crying) so I walked on round the corner, to breath and get away from the sight. I had seen a dead body of an older woman in a traffic accident on that same street in the past - and I found the image so sickening and tragic I felt ill for a while afterwards, it stayed with me for a long time. I was not eager to repeat the experience.

To cut a long story short, my friend ran over immediately, while I was busy being a sissy and running for the hills, she dialled emergency services right away and guided them to the site... I think she was the only one who called, everybody else was in too much shock, and perhaps assuming another would call (I also assumed someone else on the scene had already called), but it apparently wasn't done, except by my friend.

Not many people can keep a clear head in an emergency, funny how each individual reacts to a crisis. Thank goodness you were in the right time and place for that guy. I believe in destiny, so I would go with divine intervention. An angel in chainmail. God works in mysterious ways.

Today, I'd imagine he's either in a lot of pain or on a lot of morphine. Assuming he didn't have any serious injuries that weren't apparent at the time, he'll be fine eventually. He might have some trouble walking for a while, but he'll recover.

As for people's reactions to this kind of situation, I don't know why people are different. I think it's related to the fight or flight instinct.

Well done, Kommander. I have a similar tale, and, like you, I didn't expect to be where I was at the time, but it was fortunate that I was there:

I was one the subway, in a rather empty car as it was late morning on a weekday. I wasn't intending to go into Manhattan that day because that evening I was leaving for India, but I had a serious shoe-shopping urge, and decided I had to get the just right pair of sandals before my trip, even if it meant cutting things close. Anyway, I bought the sandals (they were the perfect pair too), and got on the train to go home. I was listening to my headphones and generally zoning out the way I do on the train, when I noticed a man pacing the car anxiously, speaking and gesturing. I assumed at first he was just one of those people who talk to everyone and no one on the train, and usually I'd ignore him, but there was an urgency to the way he was behaving so I took off my headphones to listen. He was saying, "Sugar! Sugar!" in a thick accent, and most of the other half dozen or so passengers in the car were staring at him, baffled. Then I noticed that a tiny woman on the next bench over was slumping in her seat, nearly unconscious, and I put it together instantly: she, like me, was a type one diabetic and she was going into insulin shock and needed sugar immediately or she could be dead in less than half an hour. Trying to be helpful the woman next to me was offering her diet soda, but no one in the car had any food. I had my glucose tablets, of course, which are pure glucose chewables designed specifically for such emergencies -- they deliver an instant 15 grams of sugar to the blood. I gave the woman two of them while the man (who turned out to be her brother) watched anxiously. Fortunately she was still cogent enough to understand and to chew. By the time we reached the next stop five minutes later she was alert, and safe.

Ultimately, the incident pissed me off, though. Neither she nor her brother had ever heard of glucose tablets. They said she had been diagnosed only a month ago (probably why she was so thin). I just can't believe the irresponsibility of whatever doctor sent her out of the hospital without telling her about glucose tablets. Every type one diabetic should always have them, or some other quick sugar delivery on their person at all times, and she had no idea.

Yay for Big Damn Heroes!

It's really good to hear a good story for once. It gets kind of tiring hearing all the things that are wrong with people, as opposed to the good things they do on occasion.

Congrats =)

I did mention all the assholes that saw it happen and left, didn't I? Including King Asshole that caused the accident. So yeah, there's plenty wrong with people. Luckily, people like we balance it out. Although, there's plenty wrong with me too, I just have my moments. I guess my point is that people suck and my actions change nothing.

When we see an opportunity to try to help someone, there is always a little bit of fear or apprehension that kicks in too. You think to yourself things like "Maybe they don't need my help", or "maybe I wouldn't be helping and would just make things worse", etc.. There are lots of people who are sympathetic, but they don't take the time to offer help because they don't want to appear invasive or somehow wierd. The same force which makes us avoid making eye contact with strangers at the gas station compells us to pass by people in need; and yet almost always, erring on the side of helpfulness winds up being the most wortwhile of options. Congrats to you for stopping and helping.

That's how I am normally. I doubt myself frequently because I'm wrong sometimes and I make mistakes. Usually this allows me to catch my mistakes before it's too late.

In emergency situations, I'm the opposite for some reason. My emotions shut off and my focus increases until I do what needs to be done. Of course, the "what ifs" and doubt come later. Everything you mentioned went through my mind, but afterward instead of during. Yeah, at the time I was Take Charge Man, but I was a mess the rest of the day.

I've only saved one person's life that I know of.

So... not going to share? This is the Big Damn Hero Recognition thread. No sharing, no recognition.

It might be comforting to believe in God, but that doesn't mean there is one. Why would God guide you to save this guy and allow a local pedestrian (21 years old) near me to b hit by a truck going around a blind curve, forcing the onset of weeks of surgery that restored only a fraction of the young man's mobility?

God is pretty sloppy.


The truth is, the universe is entirely indifferent with regards to events.

If there is a God, he's more than likely orders of magnitude more advanced than humans. I don't understand the motivations a supreme being would have, and I don't pretend to. I can speculate about the nature of God and pick out what makes sense and what doesn't, but I wouldn't call that understanding. Anyway, my thoughts on religion would fill several volumes. Let's get back to talking about me and why I'm great.

Motorbike crash stories make my spine tingle, having narrowly avoided them in the past I cringe at the thought of the very likely eventuality that it will one day happen to me.

Well done Kommander, we need more like you.

The only reason I don't own a motorcycle is because they require more money than I have to spare. Even seeing something like this firsthand doesn't change my plans to head to the Harley-Davidson dealership the moment I have the money. If I didn't do things because I could be injured or killed, or was afraid of anything that could injure or kill me, I wouldn't do much of anything and I'd be living in a perpetual state of fear. I'd rather not live that way if that's ok with everyone.

 

[iguana_tonante]

The guy being the next Hitler is unlikely. So far, the odds of a person being Hitler is one in about 100 billion. I figured it was worth the risk.

Also, the nice thing about divine intervention is that it's indistinguishable from coincidence. If I believed it was divine intervention, and then it turns out the guy is evil, I can then change my mind and dismiss it as coincidence.

I see you have already your legal defence strategy ready. Smart guy!

 

[Pingfah]

Motorbike crash stories make my spine tingle, having narrowly avoided them in the past I cringe at the thought of the very likely eventuality that it will one day happen to me.

Well done Kommander, we need more like you.

The only reason I don't own a motorcycle is because they require more money than I have to spare. Even seeing something like this firsthand doesn't change my plans to head to the Harley-Davidson dealership the moment I have the money. If I didn't do things because I could be injured or killed, or was afraid of anything that could injure or kill me, I wouldn't do much of anything and I'd be living in a perpetual state of fear. I'd rather not live that way if that's ok with everyone.

Well no, you don't want to be cowering in a corner. But I guarantee you once you've got it, you'll spend a good deal of your time being scared, that's half the fun.

 

[Guartho]

Thanks to things I learned as a Boy Scout, I recognized that the blue shade his face had turned, the fact that he had stopped screaming, and that he didn't appear to be in any pain indicated that he was going into shock. I then recalled what to do in that situation and began giving out instructions to others present and to the injured man so as not to make things worse, and reassuring him that his injuries weren't too bad and that he was going to be fine.

Fuckin' eh for the BSA!

 

[Kommander]

I see you have already your legal defence strategy ready. Smart guy!

I always have a legal defense strategy ready. However, I refer to it as bullshitting my way out of stuff.

Well no, you don't want to be cowering in a corner. But I guarantee you once you've got it, you'll spend a good deal of your time being scared, that's half the fun.

I've ridden before.

Fuckin' eh for the BSA!

I don't agree with their politics these days, but they do teach some valuable skills. The first aid I don't use much, but my wilderness survival knowledge I learned as a Boy Scout has lead to some fun camping trips.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I always have a legal defense strategy ready. However, I refer to it as bullshitting my way out of stuff.

And when it doesn't work, you have those metal thingies whose pointy ends go into other people. It's a win-win scenario in my book!

 

[Kommander]

And when it doesn't work, you have those metal thingies whose pointy ends go into other people. It's a win-win scenario in my book!

I can't do that anymore. Under Michigan Law, challenging someone to a duel can get me a year in jail and a $1000 fine. Also, publicly mocking someone for refusing such a challenge can get me 6 months in jail and a $650 fine. Yeah, I know. It's bullshit.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I've only saved one person's life that I know of. I wonder how many others of us here have saved somebody's life.

So... not going to share? This is the Big Damn Hero Recognition thread. No sharing, no recognition.

Well, this was a few years ago when I was at BMC. My administrative assistant had a baby and couldn't afford child care, so she brought him into the office almost every day until he was about four. One day, when he was probably just a little over one year old, because he had just started walking, she came rushing into my office holding him and crying because he had collapsed and stopped breathing while eating pieces of an apple. Of course I know all about the Heimlich Maneuver, but I had never done it, certainly not on a child. And this was a frail little guy; his chest fit right in my hand and felt like it would crush if I applied any pressure. So I tried to do it gently, with the knuckle of my thumb, applying a little more pressure each time. After three or four tries, a piece of apple miraculously popped out of his mouth onto the floor. A few seconds later he started to come around, and I went to get some help from a pediatrician on the floor. Rather than feeling heroic, I was absolutely terrified by the whole thing and could barely stand up for about an hour.

 

[ed629]

I was expecting a post about a sandwich... going to go make one then.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Under Michigan Law, challenging someone to a duel can get me a year in jail and a $1000 fine. Also, publicly mocking someone for refusing such a challenge can get me 6 months in jail and a $650 fine. Yeah, I know. It's bullshit.

Dang man, that just ain't right.

 

[Kommander]

Rather than feeling heroic, I was absolutely terrified by the whole thing and could barely stand up for about an hour.

I think that's how it usually works. There's always doubt. The trick is to save the doubt for afterward.

I was expecting a post about a sandwich... going to go make one then.

Well, I do know quite a bit about the art of sandwich making. If you have any questions about sandwiches and how to properly construct them, feel free to ask.

Under Michigan Law, challenging someone to a duel can get me a year in jail and a $1000 fine. Also, publicly mocking someone for refusing such a challenge can get me 6 months in jail and a $650 fine. Yeah, I know. It's bullshit.

Dang man, that just ain't right.

I know! I should find the guy responsible and challenge him... oh, God dammit!

 

[BloodCrow]

By the way you describe it it seems like the classic "I swear I didn't see him."-accident. Being a biker myself these really scare the hell out of me since no matter how careful you ride it just takes one idiot to take you down. And these type of accidents happen all to often.

Not many people would have reacted the way you did. Most would either assume the biker was going to fast and deserved what he got or they would be getting their story straight while the biker is wounded/dying/dead in a ditch somewhere.

On behalf of the guy you helped (he probably didn't get the chance) and bikers everywhere I want to thank you for what you did. You really are a big damn hero.

One more thing: I hope you gave your contact info to the biker or the police on site because he'll need you as a witness to the accident. If not they'll accuse/convict him of causing the accident by riding too fast/reckless and being in the hospital he won't be able to do a damned thing about it.

 

[Kommander]

Yeah, pretty much. Although, this was an older guy on a Harley, not a young guy on a crotch rocket. It's usually the latter that like to weave through traffic at 120 MPH doing wheelies, and also irritate the hell out of me.

Actually, no one who was there knows who I am. The police decided I didn't have enough information to take a statement. All I remember about the car that caused the accident was that it was red. However, they did say they weren't charging him with anything or giving him a ticket.

 

[JiNX-01]

Well done, Kommander. I have a similar tale, and, like you, I didn't expect to be where I was at the time, but it was fortunate that I was there:

I was one the subway, in a rather empty car as it was late morning on a weekday. I wasn't intending to go into Manhattan that day because that evening I was leaving for India, but I had a serious shoe-shopping urge, and decided I had to get the just right pair of sandals before my trip, even if it meant cutting things close. Anyway, I bought the sandals (they were the perfect pair too), and got on the train to go home. I was listening to my headphones and generally zoning out the way I do on the train, when I noticed a man pacing the car anxiously, speaking and gesturing. I assumed at first he was just one of those people who talk to everyone and no one on the train, and usually I'd ignore him, but there was an urgency to the way he was behaving so I took off my headphones to listen. He was saying, "Sugar! Sugar!" in a thick accent, and most of the other half dozen or so passengers in the car were staring at him, baffled. Then I noticed that a tiny woman on the next bench over was slumping in her seat, nearly unconscious, and I put it together instantly: she, like me, was a type one diabetic and she was going into insulin shock and needed sugar immediately or she could be dead in less than half an hour. Trying to be helpful the woman next to me was offering her diet soda, but no one in the car had any food. I had my glucose tablets, of course, which are pure glucose chewables designed specifically for such emergencies -- they deliver an instant 15 grams of sugar to the blood. I gave the woman two of them while the man (who turned out to be her brother) watched anxiously. Fortunately she was still cogent enough to understand and to chew. By the time we reached the next stop five minutes later she was alert, and safe.

Ultimately, the incident pissed me off, though. Neither she nor her brother had ever heard of glucose tablets. They said she had been diagnosed only a month ago (probably why she was so thin). I just can't believe the irresponsibility of whatever doctor sent her out of the hospital without telling her about glucose tablets. Every type one diabetic should always have them, or some other quick sugar delivery on their person at all times, and she had no idea.

They will always be grateful to you for saving her life and ensuring that she will always carry glucose tablets or candy when she goes out.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Just wondering, Kommander, what made you think that there was a divine influence at all?

 

[Aurian]

Good work. I know how nice it feels when you have made a difference.

I have had a few times when I have helped others. Some have happened while I was working as a receptionist.
I helped a girl who slipped and fell face first into the iron edges of the elevator and was bleeding and needed constant help and monitoring while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. Since there was so much accidents going on at the same time, she was marked down in priority. She was "semi-consious" I was told to stay by her and call in to 112 (911) again immidiately if she lost conciousness. I took her into our reception and took care of her as best as I could, and kept her talking and listening, making jokes that made her laugh even though it hurt.. but it took them over an hour to come.
A while later she came back and gave me flowers and a little tearshaped glasslantern as a token of appriciation. It was such a relief to see that she was ok. She had broken her face, but the doctors had told her that it would be alright again.

Another time as i got off the bus when I was leaving work early to catch a meeting, an elderly woman had tripped and fallen just moments before at the busstop. She was bleeding from the head. We were 3 women there trying to help her, and she a bit shocked and dazed, embarrased and so conserned with where her bag was and if there was blood on her clothes (and oh boy there was). We were all dirty when the ambulance came (this time they hurried up and it just took 15 minutes, but LONG minutes). I think she made it though.

For days later one could see a huge bloodstain on the ground where she had fallen.


I guess I just cope easily with accidents and scary situations. Thankfully.