Apr 28, 2009 6:26 am US/Eastern
Mild-Mannered Mother Pulls Man From Burning Car
Dutchess County's Stacy Behan Just Happened To Be In Right Place At Right Time To Save Someone's Life
TIVOLI, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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Stacy Behan somehow managed to pull a man that was 50 pounds heavier than her out of a burning car on April 26, 2009, in Dutchess County.
CBS
Mother's Day is just two weeks away -- a time to remember mom for all the amazing things she does on a daily basis.
Or, in the case of a Dutchess County mom, one really amazing feat.
Stacy Behan recently earned superhero status for saving a man's life.
He 7-year-old son thinks she's super-mom, but who knew mild-mannered Behan actually could pull off a feat worthy of a superhero?
"Adrenaline rush, gotta save this person. You don't think about the ramifications of your own life when you're doing it," Behan said.
It was early Sunday when Behan looked out the window and saw the glow of a fire.
A car had erupted into flames after smashing into a tree. Behan threw on her boots, ran to the scene and saw the driver slumped inside the burning car.
"I knew I had just a matter of seconds to get him out of the car," Behan said.
Ignoring the flames Behan somehow found the strength to pull the unconscious victim out of the car to safety.
"I bear-hugged him, just bear-hugged him with all my might and pulled up and over," Behan said. "I was able to just grab him from behind and with one motion pull and yank him to the left away from the fire and from the car."
The driver was 6 feet tall and weighed 185 pounds. That's four inches taller and 50 pounds heavier than Behan.
Locals were amazed at Behan's feat of strength and bravery.
"Sometimes incidents like this pulls out the greatest in people that normally didn't have the power to do that, they find the power to do it which is an amazing, amazing thing," tow truck driver Dave Triebel said.
Added Behan: "A higher power was looking after this young man and for whatever reason I was capable," Behan said.
Behan said she doesn't really know how she did it. She's just glad that in a stranger's moment of need she was there.
The victim was 26-year-old Robert Chilinski. He's currently hospitalized with burns and will need skin grafts.
His family hopes to meet with Behan soon to thank her.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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