Have you ever risked your life in order to save another?

United States
February 18, 2007 7:50am CST
I was travelling on a road that had a steep drop off on one side. Around a curve, I noticed a mini van and car had been in a wreck moments before, and the van was off the side, being supported by only two thin pine trees. There was a young girl and a woman in the van still. My husband and I quickly scaled the underneath and side of the van, dropped into it through the side door which was then at the top, helped the girl out and realized the older woman was trapped. My husband kicked open the rear door and began ripping the bench seats from their anchoring (yeah, he's strong, I know) in order to move her out the back and not injure her further, if we could, perhaps with him scaling back up the trees to our rear, on something flat, maybe. The problem was, we could not release her from under the steering wheel. She was in shock, I believe, repeating "my knees, my legs," in a monotone chant every few moments, each time seeming to think it was the first mention of her pain. The van rocked slightly, and slid down maybe a few inches, the trees beginning to give. Through the left side window of the van that I was then standing on, I looked at the 30-foot drop and tried to think. We had no way to get her out. I must admit that I thought about getting out during that moment that my eyes met my husband's, remembering I have children. Then I saw the woman's granddaughter peering over, through the broken glass window above me. I mouthed "It's going to be okay, sweetie," and smiled genuinely. Paramedics and police officers appeared behind her, towering like angels who I believed in so thoroughly that all fear left me then. They were already geared up and coming down the second they removed the girl from veiw. Hands grabbed, pulled, lifted, and I was in the air, then up and out of the ravine. My husband was pulled out. The woman had to be taken out in some manner we were not allowed to see, two hours later (that's Alabama pines, for you), and airlifted to a hospital. I never could find out what happened to the woman or girl, as we were not very stable people then. But the officers, though knowing we had outstanding warrants with bonds totaling over a quarter-million.... you don't believe me? Absolutely true :) And they let us go! One of them told us to never do anything so stupid again. I don't know if he meant our attempts at heroism or the trafficking charges, but I'm not going to ask him :) Yes, we behave today. In so far as the fact that we are clean, I mean :) Have you ever risked your life? If not, would you without hesitation?
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