Was I Heroic?

 

Was I Heroic?

Friday afternoon before Memorial Day weekend, I planned on a three hour bike on the interstate feeder road. There is not a lot of traffic there other than the few off ramps from freeway. You just have to watch out for those vehicles coming off the freeway.

I went through an industrial park complex-about a mile and a half loop-figuring to do it 2 or 3 times before heading north on the feeder road. For some reason I did only 2 loops. Out on the feeder I thought about turning right at the next crossover and pick up a few miles on the southbound feeder before heading north again. At the last moment, I decided to just go straight; keep going north.

About a half mile from that intersection was a freeway off ramp and I got across ahead of a vehicle which seemed to coming really fast. Then suddenly, right me, I heard the crash, bang, scraping sound that only an automobile accident sounds like.

The off ramp has a quick turn to it and the vehicle had failed to negotiate that turn. After tearing off the front bumper, caving in the doors, the vehicle finally came to a stop right in the intersection of the off ramp and the feeder road. Steam was coming from under the hood and water was spewing all over. The horn was blaring.

Laying my bike in the ditch, I ran back and looked inside the vehicle. The interior was full of some kind of smoke. Two elderly ladies were in the front seat. Afraid that the vehicle was on fire or about to be, I tried to open the door. Nothing doing. With all my might I leaned into it, pulling on that creaking, protesting door until finally I got it open.


About that time another vehicle started down the off ramp. I ran into the off ramp and start waving. Of course they can see me. I am in a bike helmet, bright red bike shirt, and bold blue bike shorts; a great day to be loud with the colors. I stopped the oncoming vehicle, told him where we were and asked the driver to please call 911.
Back to the vehicle and going to the other side of the vehicle. The passenger's face was bloodied. I pried her door open too but she did not get out. The airbag had deployed and she was trying to get her breath back from being hit by the airbag.

More vehicles were on the off ramp and I ran back waving them to slow down and take to the shoulder and around the wrecked vehicle. After several more vehicles were directed away from the wrecked vehicle, the police arrived and then the ambulance.

The little ladies would be OK. The driver was 80 years old. She said she had tried to slow down for the quick turn in the off ramp but the harder she pressed the brake the faster she seemed to go. She also said they were so blessed not to be hurt any worse than they were. Finally, almost tearfully she added that they had prayed about this trip before they left.

Later, it sort of hit me. Was I heroic? It didn't feel heroic at the time. It just felt like I was where I was there for a purpose that was served. Perhaps, I was the answer to the lady's prayer: that I would be in that place at just the right time to be blessed by having that opportunity and calling to provide service for another. No, I wasn't heroic at all but I am thankful that I was obedient.

 

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