Homeless Man Saves Driver Of Mercedes - And Gets Nothing

Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on December 2, 2005 at 4:20 PM CST

If you're a regular reader of our site, you know that most of the  
stories we run take a humorous and oftentimes satirical approach to  
bringing you the latest Mercedes-Benz news and information.

This story does not.

While visiting the Trinidad and Tobago Express website today, I read  
an article that struck a chord with me.

The paper reported today about an incident in which a homeless man  
saved the life of Narendra Maharaj, after Maharaj's Mercedes plunged  
off a bridge and fell twenty feet into the waiting river below.

According to the article, the homeless man, who's name is Derrick Lee  
Pack, lived under the bridge and saw the accident take place. After  
running for help, Pack realized he didn't have time to wait for  
rescuers to arrive on the scene, so he waded out into the river, and  
with a piece of iron he had found nearby, pulled the driver to safety.

Here's an excerpt of the story taken from their site:

Lee Pack said he saw the accident happen.

"I was waking. I was sitting, talking to my woman when I hear the  
bang. I saw this car skating through the railing (of the bridge). It  
was in the air. It kept breaking up the iron (bars) until it stop.  
Then the car just fall off the bridge".

Lee Pack said before the car hit the water, he was already running to  
help.

"I seeing no response. I tell myself them people dead if they don't  
get out. So I decide to run by the NP Quik Shoppe to get help", Lee  
Pack said he met a paramedic who accompanied him back to the river.

"The fella (paramedic) was calling for the police and fire people. He  
tell me I have to do something because the driver still in the car,  
upside down".

By the light of a street lamp, Lee Pack said he waded into the river.

"I had a piece of iron. The driver was trying to come out. I tell him  
hold on the iron, because the gas was leaking and he was starting to  
panic."

Lee Pack said he was fearful that the car would sink before they  
could get out of the river.

"I had to leave my shoes in the mud but I end up pulling him to the  
bank. He was complaining he had a back pain. But I surprise he wasn't  
complaining he would dead instead."

When I read the story, I felt compelled to to show respect to Derrick  
Lee Pack, who's act of bravery probably saved the driver's life.

What makes the article interesting to me, however, is the story of  
Pack.  Again, an excerpt taken from the story:

Lee Pack returned to his shack last night.

His home was lost in a fire two weeks ago. With no money, he and his  
wife have lived under the bridge during the day, spending nights in  
an abandoned freight container near the river.

They lost everything in the fire that destroyed the apartment they  
rented.

Lee Pack said the last thing of value he owned was his steel-tipped  
boots which were lost during the rescue.

How can I not feel sympathy for Pack?  Not only did he save someone's  
life, he lost the only thing he owned, which wasn't much.  Here's how  
the story ended:

A barefooted Lee Pack said he had to continue living near the bridge  
"because me and my lady get displaced. That fire burn up everything  
we had. I have no job and nobody to help. But we have life."


Most people might read the above statements and not care.   
Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people.

That's why I'm going to do everything in my power to find our friend  
Derrick.  I might not have enough money to buy Derrick a new house,  
but I do have enough to buy him a new pair of steel-tipped boots.

Who knows - maybe I'll be able to get a few friends to help, and  
maybe we'll be able to help Derrick in more ways than he thinks.

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