A retired Colorado firefighter made an instinctive move of self-sacrifice to save his newborn granddaughter last week; now he's battling back from a horrible array of injuries. Jim Lewin, a 29-year veteran of the Los Angeles County fire department, was walking with his family in Littleton, CO, last Friday night when an out-of-control truck came speeding toward them. As the truck approached, Lewin shoved the stroller holding his 12-day-old grandchild out of the way, seconds before being struck and dragged 75 feet by the truck.
Lewin's injuries include fractures to several ribs, wrist, nose, and other facial bones; a bruised lung; and a severed artery in his neck, which has caused several strokes. He's currently sedated and breathing with a ventilator, but the family reports that he has responded when he hears familiar voices.
I think we all wonder what kind of superhuman strength or courage we could muster when needed, and most of us hope we'd be able to do whatever was necessary to protect our children. Thankfully few of us will be faced with such a test, but Lewin was, and I can only hope he'll recover to enjoy more years with his family.
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