A new hero On January 2, 2007, the city of New York had a new hero – ‘Subway-Superman’, Wesley Autrey. Fifty-year-old Mr. Autrey was waiting on the subway platform with his two young daughters, aged four and six.
Suddenly, a young man who was standing on the platform – twenty-year-old Camron Hollopeter – fell onto the tracks. And just at that moment the subway train entered the station! Mr. Autrey reacted immediately – he jumped onto the tracks and then he lay on top of the man, between the two train tracks. The train couldn’t stop in time and five subway cars rolled over the two men before the train stopped. Subway workers then helped them and, incredibly, no one was badly hurt! Mr. Hollopeter, a student at the New York Film Academy, was taken to hospital with bumps and bruises. Mr. Autrey was unhurt – he was just a little dirty.
Mr. Autrey became a national hero and celebrity overnight: the mayor of New York presented him with the Bronze Medallion for bravery; the New York Film Academy also gave him $2,500 for his children education. And, last but not least, Mr. Autrey was told he could ride the New York subway for a year for free!
Now, Mr. Autrey is one of America’s everyday heroes, normal people who believe in doing the right thing. But in an interview he said, “I don’t feel like I did something spectacular. I just saw someone who needed help. I did what I felt was right.”
Answer the following questions.
1. Why Mr. Autrey was called ‘Subway Superman’?
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2. How did he react to the case of young man? [1]
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