Poignant tearjerker story of the day:
In Georgia, the daughter of a man who has terminal cancer has tracked down the man who saved her father's life almost a year ago.
Seems that in December 2003, Joe Chapman and another person were trapped in their burning car after a two-vehicle crash. Time was ticking away. At any moment the flames could lick the gasoline, and ... KABOOM!
Along came Larry Andrews, a retired paramedic, who pulled the two people from the wreckage. Then he took off, without giving his name.
During treatment, Chapman's doctors discovered the terminal lung cancer. Sources (OK, other newspapers) say Chapman is not expected to live past Christmas, and his Yuletide wish list contained one wish: to meet the man who gave him another year of life.
Enter Teresa Woodard, daughter of Joe Chapman. Woodard got the story in a newspaper, which was seen by Larry Andrews, who called the Chapman-Woodard family.
They now have met and exchanged good wishes, and Andrews has explained why he took off like the Lone Ranger.
"We were late for a dentist appointment," he is quoted as explaining. "You know how hard it is to get a dentist appointment."
Indeed we do.
When you stop sniffling, we'll tell you that there's more to the story, but we think you've had enough for one day, Sparky.
More later.

Posted at November 09, 2004 12:10 PM