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Valued Contributor
Posts: 753
Registered: ‎10-07-2020

"Heroic Act(s)" ..and You

[ Edited ]

 

..................... (Note: Plzz honor Q Forum/Ops Rules: (ex: No Rel'g, P'tiks)

 

"Heroic Act(s)

. . . . . . .  . . (You've heard of, or experienced??)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    Care to share?

 

 

Some time after I moved to DC, (70s/80s?)....

Early, one bitter, cold, Winter morning, on its approach to the DC Nat'l Airport, a incoming, commercial airplane was coming in, dangerously fast, & dangerously low. .. headed directly at the 14th St Bridge, during the busiest of paused, incoming "AM Rush Hr" traffic

 

I remember several "Bridge" ppl, cars, contents & drivers were thrown into the bitter cold Potomac waters.  One injured lady was thrashing about, screaming, she was "unable to swim."  She was drowning. 

 

Even during that massive chaos, & noise, ..one nearby stranger, heard her pleas,  He jumped in the frigid, "Crash Site" garbaged water, he was able to approach her. 

 

This stranger, saved the lady's life....

 

 

What incredible courage!

This obviously wasn't my "opportunity," 

.... but I remember then, asking myself:  ..

. Could?... Would?  I be able to do this??

 

Feelings are simply human
How we deal with, ..or express those feelings .. is our choice
. ~ . Please be kind . ~ .

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,597
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" (Yr Experience, or Knowledge Of)

[ Edited ]

A friend of mine's cousin died on that bridge that day. 

I think we might be surprised at what we will do to save another someone we don't even know.

Sometimes there is no thought but to help, and we don't think about the danger.

We may freeze or be in shock but sometimes that shock can help us do incredibly courageous things.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"
Valued Contributor
Posts: 753
Registered: ‎10-07-2020

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" (Yr Experience, or Knowledge Of)


@on the bay wrote:

A friend of mine's cousin died on that bridge that day. 

I think we might be surprised at what we will do to save another someone we don't even know.

Sometimes there is no thought but to help, and we don't think about the danger.

We may freeze or be in shock but sometimes that `shock can help us do incredibly courageous things.


@on the bay   wow... Small World!

 

I'm sad to hear of your friend's cousin's passing. 

Was a very tragic day... memorably so...

 

Thank you for sharing this!

Feelings are simply human
How we deal with, ..or express those feelings .. is our choice
. ~ . Please be kind . ~ .

Super Contributor
Posts: 365
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and Yo

@TwinkleBell  I have been fascinated with WWII since I first started hearing, then studying, about it.  There are many facets to this war that I wonder if I could have done what these heroes did.  A couple of examples:

 

   **Hiding Jewish people and/or taking care of them.

   **Taking part in the French Resistance.

 

I have often thought about what would I have done and could I have risen to the situation and actions needed?  I'm of the opinion that most of us can and would do much more than we think we would.

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,472
Registered: ‎06-24-2011

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and You

I remember that flight. I was on a flight that departed right before the tragedy. While in a car traveling to the airport to fly home from a business trip, a colleague in the car was in a rush to get to the airport. He was rude to the driver and made the rest of us feel uncomfortable. The roads were snowy and icy. We made the flight on time and had to wait for the plane to be de-iced. The plane took off and we had to fly at such a high altitude that I got sick.

 

When we landed and I heard the news about the flight that went into the Potomac, I was even more disgusted over my colleague's rudeness and his short-sighted need to rush.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 753
Registered: ‎10-07-2020

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and You

@Desert Lily   I think goodness, you werent on that flight.  Now I can meet cha, here..  Woman Happy

Feelings are simply human
How we deal with, ..or express those feelings .. is our choice
. ~ . Please be kind . ~ .

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,812
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and You

My father was in Italy during WWII.  He risked his life in order to help British soldiers escape.  He received a certificate of appreciation from "H.R. Alexander, Field Marshall, Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theatre".  I was not even aware of this until years after he passed away when we found the certificate among his papers.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,437
Registered: ‎04-20-2013

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and You

I’ve done CPR & Heimlich maneuvers out of the hospital situation ( was a nurse) & I don’t think I’d jump into an icy river unless there was no one around but I did rescue swimmers in a heated pool a couple of times.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 753
Registered: ‎10-07-2020

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and You


@Stray wrote:
I’ve done CPR & Heimlich maneuvers out of the hospital situation ( was a nurse) & I don’t think I’d jump into an icy river unless there was no one around but I did rescue swimmers in a heated pool a couple of times.

~~~~~~~

 

@Stray   GREAT heroic ACTS on yr part!!!....

. . . .Congrats.. and thank you!!!!

Thanks to our Nurses, & Medical  & Emergency Personnel!! 

 

And .. What our Nurses & Medical & Emergency Personnel did ...  & continue to do, during years of COVID is nothing short of INCREDIBLE HEROISM!!  Woman HappyHeart

Feelings are simply human
How we deal with, ..or express those feelings .. is our choice
. ~ . Please be kind . ~ .

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,850
Registered: ‎06-24-2021

Re: "Heroic Act(s)" ..and You

I don't know if I would call it heroic, but I saved someone who was having a heart attack.

I was at the zoo with my family when a man fell over. He was alone and I gave him CPR until the rescue arrived.

I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.