Iconic 35W Photo Shows Rescue of Wheelchair Marathoner
Friday, August 03, 2007 at 4:03 pm
- 4 Comments
One of the most amazing images — of many — to emerge from the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge was a photo of a man in a wheelchair staggeringly close to the edge of the fallen-away highway, the ramp of his van aiming like a bobsled chute into the abyss. The image I found on the internet didn’t identify its source, but the Minnesota running blog Down the Backstretch reports that the man is Marcel Ordaz Cruz, a 26-year-old Mexican native who lives in Crystal. In 2005, he finished sixth in the wheelchair division of the Twin Cities Marathon, and this year he finished ninth in the wheelchair division of Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth.
Left paralyzed after a shooting in North Carolina seven years ago, Cruz was driving across the bridge in his modified van Wednesday when the roadway started heaving. He says he saw as many as 20 vehicles plummet into the river as he veered into the guardrail to prevent the van from continuing down the steep decline that appeared in front of him. When he came to a stop, he said he “felt hopeless because I couldn’t do anything.” Quickly, rescue workers appeared to help him.
His mother, Ignacio Cruz, told CNN, “God and the Virgin Mary saved my son, because otherwise he would have tumbled into the water with all the other cars.”
When I linked to a photo of Cruz this morning, I — too glibly, perhaps — called him the “luckiest man in Minnesota.” But it’s a term that just might fit: After Cruz was shot in that street fight years ago, police gave him up for dead, covering his body with a tarp. This time, it seems, he escaped death by a similar margin.
“I began to cry and cry,” his mother said, “because this was the second time he was saved.”
Watch CNN’s report here.
4 Comments
Comment posted August 4, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Remarkable story Paul:
These images are exceedingly remarkable.
Comment posted August 8, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
And the others who plunged? First off. let me say this. I’m so happy to see people saving those in need of help. And this man’s ordeal should not be dismissed. But THIS comment from his mom is just insulting, to those who did no survive this tragedy.
“God and the Virgin Mary saved my son, because otherwise he would have tumbled into the water with all the other cars.”
I fear this will be spread about as an example of GOD stepping in and saving the life of this man. A miracle for all to behold. But you must ask. What of the others? Those who’s cars DID fall? Where the others who fell and lost their lives not worthy of GOD’s intervention? Where they so “unclean” that they didn’t warrant his favor? No. Plain and simple. NO! God had nothing to do with this man’s survival. If GOD did, then he is responsible for the loss of all the others. It was all do to LUCK and the goodness of the people around him. That is IT. Nothing more. My sympathies goes out to those who lost loved ones from this tragedy. And my respect go to those who stepped up and help those in need.
Are you a Rationalist?
http://whywontgodhea…
Comment posted August 4, 2007 @ 6:34 am
Remarkable story Paul:
These images are exceedingly remarkable.
Comment posted August 8, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
And the others who plunged? First off. let me say this. I'm so happy to see people saving those in need of help. And this man's ordeal should not be dismissed. But THIS comment from his mom is just insulting, to those who did no survive this tragedy.
“God and the Virgin Mary saved my son, because otherwise he would have tumbled into the water with all the other cars.”
I fear this will be spread about as an example of GOD stepping in and saving the life of this man. A miracle for all to behold. But you must ask. What of the others? Those who's cars DID fall? Where the others who fell and lost their lives not worthy of GOD's intervention? Where they so “unclean” that they didn't warrant his favor? No. Plain and simple. NO! God had nothing to do with this man's survival. If GOD did, then he is responsible for the loss of all the others. It was all do to LUCK and the goodness of the people around him. That is IT. Nothing more. My sympathies goes out to those who lost loved ones from this tragedy. And my respect go to those who stepped up and help those in need.
Are you a Rationalist?
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