Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Boston train driver hailed ‘hero’ after emergency stop saves woman on tracks


The Angry man has been on another hiatus, I took a break from some of the annoying bickering that you read online about the image of black men and women, but the me problem is that some black intellectuals don't take the time to get off the high horse, and appreciate our everyday heroes in the community, such as Charice Lewis. Whom quick reaction to commuters waves save another woman's life. When I see these type of stories about sisters, and brothers...it balances out the stereotypes portrayed in movies like Precious! Lewis the driver of a Boston subway train that stopped just before hitting a woman who had fallen onto the tracks has been hailed as a hero.


Charice Lewis got a radio call from fellow subway employee Jacqueline Osorio when she saw the woman, who had been drinking, tumble over.

Ms Lewis immediately tugged the emergency brake which stopped in time.

"As I'm approaching, the lady pops her head up, and I'm like 'Oh my God, someone's in the pit'. So I just threw it in emergency, exactly what I'm supposed to do. And it stopped just in time not to hurt her," said Ms Lewis.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well praise the baby for gurgling. "Hero" my butt. She just did what she was SUPPOSED TO DO. If that woman who fell into the trackwell were ME, I would be very grateful to Lewis. She might even be my personal hero ... But c'mon ... doing the right thing, doing what you are supposed to do anyway, does not make one a "hero." Such low standards.

lincolnperry said...

Hate, Hate...she did her job exceptionally well, and therefore is a hero!

Anonymous said...

Hate nothing! Yes, she did her job exceptionally well, thank goodness! Unlike this fool, who did his job quite badly. But doing a job exceptionally well does not make one a hero. No skin off her teeth if she, God forbid, kill the woman. She would still have her job. The driver just happened to be PAYING ATTENTION, AS SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THIS is a hero. And even then f you asked him, he says "he just did what he felt was right." If we stopped looking for "heroes" and "hero-worshipping" and just did what we felt was right, the world might be a little saner. Do you see the difference, sir?

lincolnperry said...

Then why do you people consider Scully a hero for landing his plane safely...isn't that his job?

Anonymous said...

Good point. But I think the difference is ... not many pilots could have pulled that off, or at least they are perceived by the public as not being able to pull something like that off. The man had exceptional skill and nerves of steel and really, alot of luck. A calm river full of willing rescue boats, the only obstacle being the freezing water ... but he stayed on the plane (as would/should) a captain of a ship, until every passenger was out safely. I think there is more perceived "danger" to being in a plane and navigating it correctly than driving a train on some tracks. There is a difference between the two incidents, but you make a good point.

I think our dumbed-down, empty-souled society will call anyone a "hero," really. Such a meaningless word to me. Although if I'd have been on that plane, or in front of that train, the pilot/train-driver would have been "God" to me ... My Personal Hero that Saved My Life! LOL.

But usually, the people I admire for great deeds I do not call "heroes" but I guess there IS an element I look for in people that others call "heroes" ... I guess it is the element of sacrifice, of going above and beyond because it is perceived by that person as simply the right thing to do. This could range from merely speaking an unpopular opinion at the risk of alienating friends and family for the sake of what one truly feels and believes is right, up to speaking out the truth at the risk of one's job or even life. Or it could be a soldier, flinging himself on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers. Dying, in order for someone else to be free. I personally have always marvelled at the sacrifice some people in horrendous situations have shown. I don't know ... but thanks for the food for thought.

Olive

lincolnperry said...

@Anon
Your points on hero worship are valid; Joel Kotkin chronicled the emergence of this cult of personality in his book, Life the Movie!

My attempt was to show young black women behaving courageously as everyday citizens...outside of the day to day stereotypes and negative portrayals of black woman

Anonymous said...

"My attempt was to show young black women behaving courageously as everyday citizens...outside of the day to day stereotypes and negative portrayals of black woman."

I can appreciate this, Mr. Perry. But I would not sacrifice quality for skin color or gender. Black women have nothing to prove to anyone ... they can do anything that the human spectrum contains. Just my point of view. Thank you for the book suggestion.

Olive

Anonymous said...

man i saw this video and the one where the lady let's the stroller roll in front of the train and the baby lands on tracks and survives after the train passes over it. i really think they should do like korea and start putting up walls for safety. here it was a big thing for people to commit suicide by jumping in front of trains. i mean people have been having accidents like this in ny far too long. interesting back n forth b/w you and anon. you guys got to the point.