Most courageous thing you've ever done

[Haole Girl]

Well? What was it?

[underpants]

1. I rolled under a moving rail car after a run

Lived on Oregon Hill in Richmond. After a run around Bell island there was this looooong coal train that was barely moving.... so I rolled under one car and out the other side- bigger rush than I got from running all of my 3 marathons combined.

OIn edit -that and the ARMY we have to mention that because well we might spend less money on that sort of thing

[Curmudgeoness]

2. When a co-worker was fired and accused of things that were false,

I was the only one who went to court to testify for her and against my employer. Assumed that I would be fired too. Turned out that I had never been treated better than after this. Guess they are afraid of people who are not afraid of them.

[Kali]

3. birthing

twice
at home

[Haole Girl]

12. Very brave

:scared:

[BlueJazz]

4. Chased down a Bank robber (in Minneapolis) He pointed the gun at me and I dared him..

...to shoot me. Cops showed up and pulled their gun and he surrendered.

Happened about 8 ? years ago. I look back now and think: WTF...were you crazy?? :)

[EFerrari]

47. Holy crap.

Well, WERE you?!

I jumped out of our car at a stoplight once because I saw a guy beating the C out of another guy on the roadside. I ran up to them and started hollering at the guy to stop and at some point, my husband parked the car and called the cops. Boy, I was majorly in the doghouse that night.

[kimi]

5. Well, I guess it would be

unprotected mouth to mouth CPR at a motor vehicle accident north of Fort Collins CO back in the mid 90's. Horrible situation. The deceased victim was a new liver transplant patient on his way back home to Nebraska, his wife - who I did the CPR on - ended up being permanently paralyzed.

The CO State Patrol later awarded me a certificate for that action. Don't know how much I deserved it, though. Anyone would have done the same, I figure, although plenty of people there at the site did not want to get involved, as I remember. It was a blistering cold day, and I could barely feel her pulse, and there was lots of puke and blood involved. Didn't have any kind of protection, but of course didn't care at the time.

Later heard from her family that she was permanently paralyzed. I've often wondered how much of a favor I did. Kinda bothers me late at night on occasion.

[snailly]

8. Now THAT is courageous

What a terrible situation. You did what had to be done. What happens later, happens. You did the best you could and I think you are awesome!

[kimi]

26. Thanks

I appreciate that. I don't share the story often, don't want to seem self-aggrandizing or anything. And, well, it didn't have such a great outcome, except the lady did survive and I know her family was grateful for that.

[Haole Girl]

11. What you did was heroic, kimi

:hug:

[kimi]

27. Thank you

Makes me feel good to hear that :hug:

[Odin2005]

37. That is sad.

:(

[applegrove]

41. Oh many people with terrible disabilities live really full lives. I would say you are

quite the hero for saving her. Don't second guess what you did. That isn't being fair to yourself.

[XemaSab]

48. Good for you!!!

Wow!

[sinkingfeeling]

55. Sorry, posted to wrong place.

[MiddleFingerMom]

6. Never a very good diver...

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...I scaled the gate at our apartment complex's swimming pool
for some post-bar solo skinnydipping.
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After swimming a while, I got out and climbed up on the diving
board -- and must've stood there a good 5-10 minutes, shivering
and working up my nerve.
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I FINALLY executed a PERFECT absolutely bucknekkid one-and-a-half
forward somersault dive -- slipping into the water with nary a splash.
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That took...
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...well, YOU know...
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...it took balls.
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Balls even I didn't know I had.
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That last sentence is SO not true.
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.I was hyper-aware pf them at that particular moment.
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Having accomplished my dream so completely, I have never since
been tempted in the LEAST to repeat it.
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[S n o w b a l l]

7. Probably moving to LA as a single woman

without knowing a soul or the city. But, I was able to transfer with my job, so it wasn't total instability.

That and opening up my retail store after being in the corporate world for years.

[Lasher]

9. I once rescued some swimmers in the ocean.

I was on vacation with my family at the beach. I heard someone say, "There goes the lifeguard!" A couple of sisters aged about 8 and 12 were being swept out by the undertow. I figured the lifeguard could use some help and, being still in my twenties and experienced at this sort of thing, I dove in.

They were a long way out by the time I got there. The lifeguard had collected the two and had them clinging to a torpedo buoy, and was trying to tow them in. He was pulling hard but he was losing ground against the current. I asked if he needed help. Realizing I was there, he looked up and said, "Oh God, please help me." That, and the look on his face, told me he was desperate.

I grabbed his hand and dug as hard as I could. Together we were able to return the two to shore. A cheering crowd was waiting there, just like in the movies.

I swam endurance races on the college swimming team and I'm sure that experience helped me at the time. But there was plenty of adrenaline too. When Mrs. Lasher saw me she asked why I didn't have any lips. I must have still been pretty pale.

The company I worked for gave me a certificate at a little ceremony, since they liked to recognize their employees who did that sort of thing.

That's my story.

[Haole Girl]

10. Sounds like a rip current

I'm surprised the Life Guard didn't swim parallel to the shore, like you're supposed to. Glad everybody made it out ok.

[Lasher]

18. I don't know what to call it.

You might have noticed I'm from WV. Stranger to blue water and all that. Maybe he would have started going paralell if I hadn't showed up, I don't know.

Worked out OK though, and a very fond memory for me.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Wow -- that's amazing.

Swim rescues are so dangerous, especially if the rescuees panic and try to climb on top of you. :scared: Good for you for helping. :thumbsup:

[Lasher]

19. Thank you.

It's scary but not so dangerous if someone tries to climb on top of you, which is quite natural for a desperate swimmer to do. That is to say, if you stay calm and if you know just what to do. Honestly, there is a very low possibility that a swimmer could endanger me in a case like that. I don't want to come across as a braggart (any more than I already have), so I will just say I have a lot of credentials in rescue and water safety.

I have pulled dozens of people out of swimming pools, but a long distance rescue like this one is a whole different ball game. Hats off to our lifeguards, particularly those at our ocean beaches.

[Odin2005]

38. Wow, that life guard was a moron!

They must have forgotten to teach him never to try and fight a rip current, swim perpendicularly to it.

[meow2u3]

13. I saved 2 kittens from a certain death

When I was 19 and still living in New York, during a blistering heat wave when the temps topped 100 degrees, my brother and I spotted a cat carrier on the neighborhood playground. Inside were two little kittens, locked in their crate with no food or water. Some bastard abandoned them and left them to die a slow and torturous death.

I forgot to mention that neighborhood thugs surrounded us as we picked up the crate full of kitties. If my brother weren't with me, I too would have suffered a certain death for saving the cats' lives.

We brought them home and, along with my family, fostered them and found them new homes.

We named the kittens Finster (male) and Hazel (female).

[Arugula Latte]

14. Goddamn -- what the hell is wrong with people?

Jesus, that pisses me off that they did that. Thank you for saving these kitties!

[kimi]

28. That's really heart-warming

Bless your heart!!

[meow2u3]

52. I forgot to add one important detail

We saved those kitties about a month before we moved from New York to Texas, back in 1980. My old neighborhood had become gang- and heroin-infested, so I can see why they did such a horrific thing to those kittens--they were most likely high on smack. It doesn't excuse their actions; in fact, IMO, I'd hold them more responsible for their actions because they decided to put that shit in their bodies!

[Odin2005]

39. Jesus, who would do that to such cute cats?

:grr:

[Arugula Latte]

16. Two births -- one 24 hours and five hours of pushing -- no pain drugs.

I am so glad I have my kids, but, damn, I never want to do that childbirth thing again.

[alphafemale]

20. ...as I've told mine..."wouldn't take a million dollars for ya' ... wouldn't pay a dime ---

---to go through what I did to have anotherone just likeya.

[Arugula Latte]

21. I hear ya.

I remember wanting to crawl out of my own body to get away from the pain. When the babies finally squeezed out, the relief was overwhelming.

[mysuzuki2]

17. I saved the earth from destruction by alien invaders

but don't thank me - anyone would have done the same.

[Lindsey]

22. I was in Orange County, CA running errands (live in the Valley

now) and was driving on a major road. An attractive young lady (I'm a women too) seemed to be on some kind of drug as she was walking down the street. She had a darling little dog in her arms and all of a sudden she started abusing it. I did a u-turn, pulled into a parking lot, literally jumped out of my car and begged her stop. She did. Somehow I was able to reason with her. At this point it was obvious to me she was on drugs and had a lot of anger issues. It was a Saturday and very crowded. About five guys had my back but probably knew that she'd feel threatened by them (since they were guys and I'm a gal). By this time the cops came and took over. I don't know, something about harming animals and children can't be tolerated by me. They have NO way to defend themselves. When I told my friends the story most of them said they would have done the same thing. However, another one asked me if I was crazy as I could have been harmed. When stuff like this happens, I don't think about being harmed.

[GCP]

30. Similar story

I was in a park and suddenly heard yelping. A big German Shepherd had grabbed a little poodle by the neck and looked like it was going to kill it. The owners were all standing around looking like they didn't know what to do. I ran a hundred yards over there, grabbed the G.S's mouth and forced it open. I was shaking, I was so annoyed at all the useless people standing around and not doing anything. The poodle was OK.

[blueknight]

23. seen a guy ruffing up his girlfriend

outside a bar. i told him to settle down and he came towards me, obviously half drunk, got in my face and dared me to stop him. so i hit him with one right hand and knocked him on his ass. he got up and left, and the woman thanked me. i went on my way

[KamaAina]

24. Laid down on the Ellipse in front of the White House

back when this was still possible, and the anti's had covered it with little fake crosses in honor* of the Roe v. Wade anniversary.

So I and two female companions laid down in the middle of the faux cemetery for a die-in. Sure enough, the glorified park rangers came up -- and literally stepped over me in order to harass the two women!!

[jp11]

25. Asked some woman to do something.

I live life on the edge like that.

[kwassa]

29. Saved a woman from drowning in Haunama Bay in Hawaii, knowing nothing about rescuing people

A young Japanese woman being pulled out by a tidal flow between reefs. Her boyfriend was panicking and yelling, neither spoke any English. We were all a long way out from the beach there. I was just the closest person. I ended up diving down, planting my feet on the sand, as it was about eight feet deep, and literally pushed her towards the nearest reef, as I wasn't strong enough to swim against the current. By the time we got there I was seriously out of breath and exhausted and near drowning. Reefs are sharp and uncomfortable, by the way. A lifeguard then showed up on a longboard, and asked if there was a problem. He took in the guy and girl on the board, and I never say any of them ever again.

It was almost like it never happened. My girlfriend on the beach didn't see it. It all happened within a few minutes. It was all quite surreal.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

31. quit my career at age 35, to start living my life. long story.

[femmocrat]

32. Glad you posted this, Tuesday.

I was going to post something similar (I went back to school in my 40s and eventually resumed my career), but after all the heroic tales, I felt like that wasn't very significant.

We deserve an atta-girl, too! :hug:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

33. yeah, for me, that was the most courageous things "I" have done -

:toast: attat-girl, femmocrat! :fistbump:

:hug: :thumbsup:

[MorningGlow]

34. Two things, I guess

1) Refused to get in a car after a concert because the driver had been drinking. Totally "embarrassed" the one girl in the car I was friends with (we went to college together)--I was visiting her for the concert, and the rest of the people in the car were her high school friends. Everyone was massively pissed off at me, but I still wouldn't get in the car. The guy finally said, "Fine! You drive, then!" So I did--drove this totally unfamiliar car through New Jersey. But I got us all home. My "friend" (and her friends) refused to speak to me for the rest of the weekend. I was never so happy to get on a plane to go home.

2) Another vote for birth with no meds. It wasn't that bad, actually. Till the little booger broke my tailbone (he came out with one arm over his head--still sleeps like that, in fact). x(

[ThomasQED]

35. First thing that comes to mind...

I used to frequent a dog park, where I often met an older gentleman and a young man. Both of them were very slight. The younger man had trouble with a large bully who would show up with his gigantic dogs and try to start dog fights.

One day we were the only ones there, and the bully showed up, trying to stir stuff up. All of a sudden he had the young guy in a headlock.

Before I knew it, I was on the bully's back, hanging from his neck. If the bully had wanted, he probably could have taken all 3 of us - he was that big. Fortunately, he backed down.

Now I think the smart thing to do would have been to kick the back of his knees.

[Odin2005]

36. Told off some violent brutes who were ...

...making fun of and harassing of my friend with cerebral palsy, who was raped a year ago, calling her a slut/whore/"you deserved it"/etc. The fuckers backed off when I threatened to knock them silly.

[doc03]

40. Now this takes courage, I haven't tried it yet myself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvp4xY5amxI

[Skip Intro]

42. Stood up to a bully in sixth grade. Got my ass kicked.

But I stood up for myself. For a few seconds anyway...

[Steely_Dan]

43. I Saved...

an old woman's "yappie" dog (Yorkie) when it fell off the Ventura Pier. No big deal.

[Tikki]

46. Did you fish it out! Or were you under the Pier!

Or did you dive in after the yippie dog!! Or did you summon authorities!!
I love Ventura Pier.


Tikki

[Steely_Dan]

50. I dove in...

and fished it out. I was close enough to the beach that I simply swam in.

[many a good man]

44. Comforted my Mom both times she got her leg amputed

Actually, she was the brave one and I was a simpering coward. I felt somebody had to be there with her to go through these terrible ordeals. She took it better than I did and taught me a lesson I'll never forget.

My older brother the cop, the one who won a medal of valor in a big ceremony in City Hall, was too chicken to show up.

[skygazer]

45. There's a fine line between courage and stupidity

I don't know how anyone would label these.

Hitchhiked across the country twice, alone with no money. The first time was 1978 and I was 17. The second was 1998 and I was 37.

Decided one morning that I was going to leave my home in Vermont and move to California. I had $300 and a piece of junk '85 VW Golf that I'd bought for $400. I left a note for my roommate, grabbed my dogs and was on the road by that afternoon. That was 11 years ago and I'm still here. Love it.

Repeatedly entered a burning building to rescue animals out of the downstairs pet shop, along with several other bystanders. A firefighter died in that fire but we got all the animals out.

Tackled a runaway carriage horse after a nasty accident at a horse show. Cut her out her harness before she could get up again and continue her panicked run. The owner's husband yelled at me for ruining the harness. :eyes: His wife was airlifted but survived with no long-term effects.

Bought a 4 year old off-the-track Thoroughbred mare last year when I was 49 and riddled with arthritis. Rode her last week with my leg in a cast. Got to the barn driving my stick shift - the cast's on my clutch foot.



Reading these over, I'd have to come down on the side of stupidity. :P

[XemaSab]

49. This is hardly on the level of saving someone's life

but last year we had a grease fire in the kitchen and I calmly put it out.

Like, I was shocked by how calm I was through the whole scene. I guess taking a cynical attitude towards life has its up sides. :shrug:

[flvegan]

51. I laughed.

Then I joined in appreciating the ALF.

[Mad_Dem_X]

53. Walked into a mental health clinic and said I needed help.

That was the day my life began again.

[unpossibles]

54. chased a thief while massively hungover

if he had been smart and run in a straight line he would have lost me, but he kept turning, and I cut each corner so caught up with him.

[sinkingfeeling]

56. Went out on an iced over lake in Minnesota to rescue two puppies that had broken through. I managed

to save only one and myself after I fell in.

[skygazer]

57. Oh, that sounds scary!

On a more amusing note, is that where your username came from? :P


(sorry, I have a sick sense of humor)

[sinkingfeeling]

58. Very scary because I couldn't swim at the time. They were my 3 month old Samoyeds.

And no the 'sinkingfeeling' came as Bush started his 'evil axis' s**t!