I was going to call in last night to AD radio to bring this up, but I have a sore throat so I would have sounded horrible on the air. Then, I went to bed at 10:45 (because I'm square and that's late to me) so I'm not sure if the subject came up. I think this man deserves mass recognition.

At a time when we're innundated daily by the news about tragedies and villains, nasty stuff and tales of misery that sell, it's wonderful to read something so uplifting. In a nutshell, the man (Wesley Autrey) stood waiting for the subway train and noticed a teen have a seizure and fall onto the tracks. With the train coming, he had no time to help the boy out but jumped instead on top of the teen, pushed him into a drainage trough between the tracks and shielded him with his own body. There were two inches to spare as the train ran over them, unable to stop. This is a person Mr Autrey didn't even know, he just jumped to his defense instinctively reacting.

I've heard of similar stories, usually during wartime. Soldiers have jumped on top of grenades, sacrificing themselves to protect civilians and/or comrades in the moment of truth. One such soldier, Cpl. Jason Dunham, recently received the posthumous medal of honor for such an action.

I have to wonder what sets such people apart? Why do some people jump to the defense of others at the moment of truth while others would only watch on it horror but do nothing themselves? Any other thoughts? Had anyone else heard this story?

Cool story, and a brave and worthy man.

Surely some sort of national or state honour would be justified, beyond $5,000 cash (though that is a nice gesture in itself)? (I have absolutely no idea how public honours work over there. Over here he'd be a shoo in for an OBE or something similar.)

As to why he did it, why does anybody do anything? It seemed like a good idea at the time, I suppose. That, and his admitted unwillingness to let his two small children see a man killed; though even that doesn't explain it as he could have just stood his ground while shielding their eyes.

Whatever the motivation - hats off to Wesly Autrey!

This is what heroes are... they do these amazing things... for what seems like no reason, or little reason at all.

Yes, he wanted to make sure his children didn't see a man crushed by a train.... but there are many ways he could have accomplished that without nearly dying.

He's a hero. Wesly Autrey has done what heroes do.

I have seen the news story about Mr. Autry. I find it very enlightning. I also heard he was on David Letterman last night and was given the biggest hero award from the New York Mayor, was given a vacation to Disney World and I believe it was Trump gave him 10,000 dollars.
This man does not consider himself a hero. He is very modest about it and I think what he got as such a heroic act is commendable.
Today in New York another heroic act happened. A little boy went out on a fire escape and two men saw him and they caught the boy who only wound up with scratches.
I think their are more heros than we hear about and glad that people do give a damn.

I have to wonder what sets such people apart? Why do some people jump to the defense of others at the moment of truth while others would only watch on it horror but do nothing themselves? Any other thoughts? Had anyone else heard this story?

Some people, like this gentleman, have a higher regard for their fellow citizens. Nowadays, incidents like this one seem to be a rarity. I would like to think that the world has not always been a place filled with self-centered and self-absorbed people who stand by and do nothing because they don't regard or value other people's lives as they do their own..... In a really big city there is a phenomenon that occurs in that we tend to become callous towards others. And that creates an indifference. It's a pretty sad outcome for such an "evolved" species...

Maybe this brave man will inspire heroism in others.

Last week there were vivid examples of humanity at its worst and its best.

When Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting following the team's elimination from the NFL playoffs, we got a sobering reminder that sports is not exempt from the real world and it's problems. The notion that a young man who was trying to have a good time being snuffed out so senselessly was a shocking and disturbing reminder of how violent our country is.

But there are heroes in this world. They don't wear capes and spandex with rippling muscles. They just seize the moment and do the right thing when most of us would have no clue as to what the right thing is.

Wesley Autrey did an extraordinary thing. Most of us would have probably been frozen by confusion or fear. We would have hesitated a moment too long thinking about our own personal safety or concern for our kids. There's no guarantee that two lives might not have ended on that filthy subway track that fateful day.

He is the hero of the day and a much needed reminder that in this world of sin and sorrow there is still courage, nobility and unselfishness.

That was very well written NT- and I must add some bit to this, though probably not in as good as form as yourself -

You would be suprised at how much heroism there is about and around you every day- it just may not be the news of the day. The Hero Mr Autrey happened to be one of those few whose tales WERE sung- but you may be suprised to hear how much of that goes on- get a police scanner, and between the crackhouse busts and DV calls, you hear of one or two of these kinds of things every week or more.

A nieghbor saves a nieghbor, that kind of thing.

You would be amazed if you knew.