Posted on 11/25/2009 8:41:20 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
A retired Minneapolis police sergeant leaped onto a burning boat in a Florida harbor north of Fort Myers, picked up and moved one badly injured woman, and then another, onto other boats, then got off the distressed vessel seconds before it was rocked by the second of two explosions.
Just as Harry Baltzer finished moving the two women from the blazing boat last Friday in an Englewood, Fla., gated community, he could sense that time was running short.
"I put one foot on one bow, and I had my other foot on the other bow," said Baltzer, who turns 68 Friday.
Then the boat to which he was fleeing started backing up.
"I slipped and went into the water," Baltzer said. "I grabbed the side rail." As that boat pulled away, the one on fire blew up, he said. "It was about 20 seconds. It was close."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
A very Happy Thanksgiving Day to all FReepers!!
These were very lucky folks to have a hero in the next boat. A great Thanksgiving to them all - and I’m sure those two women are going to be especially thankful this year!
Making a positive difference in the lives of complete strangers. THAT.. is what it’s all about.
God bless that man.
Yes, a very Happy Thanksgiving Day to all FReepers.
“Harry Baltzer” heroics?
And 4 posts in no FReeper has made the casual observation.....
We’re above that sort of nonsense.....
;-)
There is such thing as a hero. It is not a myth. So glad to hear this man stepped up.
Good job ButThreeLeftsDo,
Bout time ya hear a good story coming out of Florida.
We all aren’t nuts here, just quite a few of us.
Well done Harry. At aged 68 to boot.
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