NYC bus driver Steve St. Bernard is being hailed as a hero after he selflessly positioned himself under a 7 year old special needs child who found her way to an air conditioning unit hanging outside a third story window on Friday. When she finally fell, St. Bernard was able to catch he and absorb the blow with the ground:
“I asked God … I said, ‘Let me catch her, please. Don’t let me miss,’” the 10-year veteran of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) told CNN. “I don’t play baseball. I’m not a sportsman. I don’t want to miss.”
Apparently the girl was able to get on to the unit because the window guards were too small for the opening. Since the incident, the girl’s mother, who thought her daughter was asleep at the time, installed child-proof bars an had the air conditioner removed from the window. Bernard hurt his arm during the rescue and is now wearing a sling, which is preventing him from being able to work. As for his well deserved hero status, Bernard says:
“If you have kids or you love people, like me, it’s something you jump into action real quickly.”
Hit the jump to check out a video of the life saving catch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JLI1XUQNkk&feature=player_embedded
