Heroism and Luck Save a Motorcyclist

You wouldn’t know it watching the nightly news, but we humans are thoroughly interconnected. Most of us will not hesitate to jump in and help in an emergency. The September 12th video and photos on this MSNBC link from Logan, Utah, show a dozen people putting their own lives at risk.

A 21-year-old cyclist, Brandon Wright, collided with a BMW that pulled out of a parking lot and onto U.S. Highway 89. The cyclist lay his bike down, trying to avoid the collision. When he slid under the car, both his bike and the BMW were on fire. The BMW driver escaped unharmed.

Wright ended up trapped and bleeding. A dozen men and women, construction workers and students from Utah State University, rushed to the rescue. Together they lifted the 4,000-pound car off the injured cyclist and dragged him to safety. At any moment, the BMW could have exploded, but the rescuers focused on the man who needed their help, not on their own safety.

Wright’s luck could easily have run out Monday, but it didn’t. He was not wearing a helmet, yet did not end up with head injuries. He has a broken leg, road rash and bruises. They will heal. So will his spirit, though the young man is likely to do some soul searching, having had such a close brush with death.

CBS news credits grad student Chris Graff with capturing the dramatic rescue on video. The footage will burn itself into a lot of minds. It is a credit to the goodness that is all around us.

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Photo from kaibara87 via Flickr Creative Common

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Fred K.

10:09AM PDT on Oct 29, 2011

I hope that if neither driver is 'faulted' for the accident, that both of them boost their training in operating motor vehicles. It looks a lot like the car driver ignored the motorcycle; I hope that car driver learned something from that experience and ends up paying for the car and bike if he's at fault as well as the biker's medical bill where not covered by insurance - and that the biker gets a brain bucket habit.

send a green star

Dianne R.

12:26AM PDT on Sep 19, 2011

GREAT STORY! I saw it on MSNBC TOO. Makes me feel better to be an American!

Christine S.

8:50PM PDT on Sep 18, 2011

I am sure the cops made everybody leave because they were afraid the car was going to blow up, and there was no reason for all the people to stay- they would just be in the way when the paramedics got there. Anyway- I thought it was awesome for all those people to work together to save the motorcyclist from certain death.

Jane R.

5:03PM PDT on Sep 18, 2011

I'm so happy that he is okay. I don't get why everyone walked away and left him lying there alone.

Lilithe M.

1:53AM PDT on Sep 17, 2011

What's weird is that everybody seems to run away and leaves him there! I know that isn't the case, but the video looks like it.

Silvia G.

4:55PM PDT on Sep 16, 2011

Beautiful!!

Rosemary B.

2:49PM PDT on Sep 16, 2011

Did you see the poll? 20% are thinking about it???