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* From GoFundMe…
Ashley Aldridge is a young 19 year old mom who was cleaning up lunch after feeding her children and heard someone yelling for help. She saw a man whose wheelchair was stuck in the railroad tracks. She ran next door and asked her neighbor to watch her kids when she heard the clanging of the gate warning of an approaching train.
Running over she tried to lift the Hoverround out of the tracks and looking to the side she saw the train approaching. She rushed to the front and with her 130 pound frame she lifted the 200 pound man, his body clearing the wheelchair just as the 80 mph Amtrak demolished the chair.
When interviewed Ashley has insisted that she is just happy he’s alive and that she doesn’t have to live with wondering “what if”, what she neglects to say is that her house was broken into just weeks before with her bill money and savings being taken, she neglects to say that she and her young husband struggle as he works a roofing job with varied hours. This site is to give people a chance to give back to someone whose story and courage has so blessed a community and even a nation.
*** UPDATE *** SJ-R…
The story of Ashley Aldridge’s heroic efforts to save a man’s life in Auburn last week was told on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, recounted the story during a three-minute speech during which Aldridge’s photograph stood on an easel behind him.
“In a world in which we often hear the message we should only be concerned about ourselves and our own families, Ashley is an inspiration,” Durbin said. “Without a moment’s hesitation, this brave young mom risked her own life to save the life of a man she never met.”
Video of Sen. Durbin’s speech is here.
Donations have surged since I posted this earlier today, so click here if you haven’t yet.
* Related…
* Teen Saves 75 Year-Old Man Caught on Railroad Tracks: “I thought the train hit his feet. It was that close” said Aldridge.
* Auburn woman risks life to save man stuck on train tracks
* Brave Teen Saves Man Whose Wheelchair Was Stuck In Train Tracks
* Young Woman Saves Man Stuck On Railroad Tracks
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:34 pm
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Donation made. Thanks for alerting us, Rich.
Comment by chiatty Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:46 pm
A grocery chain, County Market- rewarded her with a “Fill the shopping cart” trip through one of their stores. And the wheelchair has been replaced by another donor.-from Channel 20 news.
Comment by downstate commissioner Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:48 pm
I have a new hero.
Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:52 pm
@Formerpol it has been all over the news in the Spfld area. I can’t vouch for the break in situation referenced on the GoFundMe page, but can say this girl absolutely saved this man’s life. Just from following the story I’ve learned she is a young mother who lives in a trailer park. There are probably far less worthy causes to give money to. I am actually surprised national media didn’t pick up the story.
Comment by UISer Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:55 pm
===And the wheelchair has been replaced by another donor===
Actually, several donors. My community bank accepted donations.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:56 pm
===80 mph Amtrak===
I don’t believe that.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 12:58 pm
===80 mph Amtrak===
==I don’t believe that.==
Amtrak officials contacted for the story mentioned trains usually go about 70-80mph through Auburn.
Sorry to keep responding to these negatives comments, Rich. They are just a bit irritating. If you delete their comment, feel free to delete my follow up too. Thanks for posting this story, I’ve never met this girl in my life, but her story deserves to be shared.
Comment by UISer Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:01 pm
Thanks, Rich, for featuring this story for those of us who hadn’t heard about it. I only hope I could do what Ashley did if confronted with the same situation. She deserves a helping hand.
Comment by Archiesmom Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:02 pm
UISer - you go ahead! We get a little too jaded with the onslaught of stories abut scams. It gets hard to believe in plain old goodness and altruism. A quick Google search shows this is legit. I believe in keeping an open heart, while maintaining common sense.
Comment by Archiesmom Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:06 pm
Love the human interest posts. As Mr. Rogers said “look for the helpers”.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:10 pm
A person whose deeds are an example to us all….
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:20 pm
The local report, attributed to Amtrak, was 81 mph.
Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:26 pm
I heard about this. This girl is incredible. To make such a split-second decision like that would be crazy. She is a selfless hero. Any child would be so lucky to have a mother who would potentially risk her own life to save someone else.
Which gets me at another point– The article mentioned that there were other cars that continued on their way while this man was stuck, and nobody stopped to help. That’s a shame.
Comment by Vanessa Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:28 pm
It’s nice that you are able to use this forum to help those worthy of help.
Comment by Because I said so... Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 1:46 pm
1) Done and done.
2) “I don’t believe that.”
To tell the truth, I can’t imagine any occasion when I’d care about what some Anon believes.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:22 pm
Hey Anon, I live in the Auburn area and have had to stop at the tracks in question for an Amtrak train and I know the difference between it going 80mph and it going 30 and they definitely are going closer to 80! If you don’t believe it come down and look for yourself. I have not heard this girl mention anything or ask for anything in the two weeks following this happening! I believe that this was done in the heat of the moment by a girl that cared!
Comment by Coach Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:34 pm
I don’t like to use description of “hero” as I feel it is overused, except in this case. I will donate because she is an example of what a hero is to me.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:35 pm
Why are posters trying to parse the details of the Amtrak train - it does not matter. What matters is what Ashley did. Enough said.
Donation will be made shortly. Thanks for the post.
Comment by illini Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 2:43 pm
The world needs more people like Ashley. Donated.
Comment by Ken_in_Aurora Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:06 pm
Really, truly…is a train going 30 vs. a train going 80 going to encounter a different result if this very brave and selfless woman didn’t remove this person from harm’s way? She’s remarkable.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:11 pm
[This commenter is in time-out for the rest of the day.]
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:11 pm
Donations almost tripled in the couple hours this was posted here. Rich, thanks for calling this to our attention.
Comment by corvax Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:32 pm
For the love of pete people enough talk about the speed of the train. It’s an asinine conversation. Just. Stop.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:36 pm
Anon - are you suggesting that the “generic details” are not a part of this incident and its reporting and that the unknown actions or inactions of the engineer are more important than what happened? Not buying it!
FYI I had a cousin who lived in Auburn years ago and talked to him about this and Amtrak and my Uncle was an engineer for Amtrak until he retired.
Comment by illini Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:39 pm
I’m in RIch. Good call.
Comment by proudstatetrooper Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:46 pm
Good for Ashley, that is what a hero actually is. Wasn’t her job or her responsibility and she had nothing to gain by putting herself at risk.
I am sure they guy in the wheel chair didn’t care if the train was going 80 or 10. The outcome, without Ashley, would have been the same. Guaranteed.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 3:57 pm
Definitely a hero. Donation made. Thanks for alerting us to the GoFundMe page, Rich. I had heard about the rescue but didn’t know the backstory.
Comment by LTTP Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 5:29 pm
Donated. thanks for posting.
==“In a world in which we often hear the message we should only be concerned about ourselves and our own families, Ashley is an inspiration,” Durbin said. “Without a moment’s hesitation, this brave young mom risked her own life to save the life of a man she never met.”==
Kinda disappointed Senator Durbin thinks this poorly of Americans.
Comment by EternalOptimist Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 6:47 pm
Have they tracked down the three Auburn residents who drove by the poor man trapped in the railroad tracks before this heroic teen arrived?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 9:59 pm
That railroad track that runs through Auburn has been upgraded for high speed trains. The trains today can easily go 70-80 mph on the new seamless rails.
Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Sep 22, 15 @ 10:15 pm
Nomination for Carnegie Hero?
carnegiehero.org
Comment by CrookCounty60827 Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 3:09 pm
I nominated her.
Comment by CrookCounty60827 Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 3:23 pm