If you ask a rescue worker what it takes to be a hero, they’ll tell you that it can be as simple as acting. When seconds count and lives are on the line, heroes like the officer in this video just have to trust their instincts.
What’s your situation?
The video was recorded on August 12, 2020. The footage is taken from Officer Erica Urrea of the Lodi PD’s bodycam. We can see she’s behind the wheel driving. Nothing seems amiss quite yet, since it could have been a day like any other. But then you hear a beep and can see Officer Urrea park and leap out of her car.
The terror of the situation then becomes crystal clear as you see an old man on a wheelchair trapped in the middle of the tracks. Officer Urrea’s heart had to have been pounding, but she swallowed her fear and jumped to the old man’s side. She calls out to partners on her radio that:
“Man’s stuck on the tracks, I’ll try and get him out!”
No time to lose
Officer Urrea moves to the rear of the wheelchair and tries to move it. But it doesn’t budge. However the old man ended up on the track, there simply wasn’t enough time to get him out that way. Urrea could have ran to save herself, but she ignores the warning rings of the train crossing bell to do what she can for the perfect stranger.
She asks if the man can walk. He doesn’t answer, so Officer Urrea helps the man out of his wheelchair. She pulls him free of the chair, desperate to try and get him to safety. You can just imagine the tension in the air as the train whistles grow louder and louder. The train can’t possibly stop in time, and there’d be no saving the officer or the old man if they aren’t out of the way in time.
At the last second
But then, when all hope seems lost, Officer Urrea makes a final tug and the old man is largely free from the train’s path. The train passes by and you can hear the sickening crunch as it crashes headlong into the wheelchair. When the body cam turns to survey what remains, it’s clear that the wheelchair is long gone, but the old man is safe.
Officer Urrea takes a moment to breathe. She survived a dangerous incident by sheer force of will. But her job isn’t over yet. As Officer Delgado, another member of the Lodi PD comes to treat the old man’s leg injury. Urrea calls for an ambulance as she stays with the old man to help keep him safe until medical personnel can arrive.
The road to recovery
The video may cut off here, but the story continues. If you read the video description, it describes how the 66 year old man suffered leg injuries from the near-death experience. After Officers Urrea and Delgado treat his injuries as much as they can, they remained with the old man until he could be taken to a hospital for treatment.
There’s no indication on what happens next, but we can safely assume that had Urrea not been at the right place at the right time, that this story could have had a tragic end. Whatever led to the old man’s predicament, viewers cheer knowing that the old man has a second chance to enjoy the rest of his life.
Acts of heroism
Stories like this are great reminders that there are still heroes in the world. Good men and women who would risk their lives to save their neighbors. We can imagine that Urrea, the old man, and the train driver were all thankful for this incredible rescue.
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