NYC Loves Subway Hero Wesley Autrey

Two days after Wesley Autey jumped into subway tracks to save another straphanger from an oncoming train, everyone still wants to hear his story. With good reason: Not only is it an incredibly heroic story, Autrey's matter-of-fact explanation for his actions ("it's just being able to be here and help the next person.") and his humble demeanor:

"I don't think I did anything heroic. I just saved a life. I don't call myself a hero because the real heroes are overseas dying for you and me."

Autrey was on CBS's Early Show, which had a crazy computer re-creation of the save. And the re-creation doesn't even show how the savee, NY Film Academy freshman Cameron Hollopeter, was having a seizure at the time!

Autrey will be appearing on Late Night with David Letterman tonight and will be honored by Mayor Bloomberg today, and he's also gotten requests to appear on The Charlie Rose Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Apparently Donald Trump's people say there's a $10,000 check waiting for him (Autrey said, “They offered to mail it; I said, ‘No, I’d like to meet the Donald, so I can say, Yo, you’re fired.’ ”) while the Film Academy gave Autrey a $5,000 check and offered future scholarships to his two young daughters to attend its teen program.

But we have a feeling the best thanks Autrey is getting is from Hollopeter's family. Autrey went to Hollopeter's hospital room and met his family. Hollopeter's father Larry said

"Mr. Autrey's instinctive and unselfish act saved our son's life/ There are no words to properly express our gratitude and feelings for his actions. Cameron is recovering and stable. Now he needs his rest, and our wishes are that you respect his privacy. May God’s blessings be with Mr. Autrey and his family."

Autrey has been working on converting classrooms into a library at PS 380, John Wayne School, in Brooklyn. The Daily News' Michael Daly said that the school was named after the actor (a District 14 superintendent was a "big fan") but the school should be renamed after Autrey instead.

Update: The MTA is giving Autrey a year of free rides (12 unlimited monthly Metrocards) and gave his daughter some MTA schwag. Disney is giving the Autrey family a week-long, all-expenses paid trip to Disney World, plus tickets to see the Lion King and a backstage tour. At the City Hall press conference, Autrey said again that he wasn't a hero and said the real heroes are the young men and women fighting in Iraq.

Photograph of Autrey and his two daughters from the CBS Early Show; graphic of the subway trough from the NY Times

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 4, 2007 11:53 AM

Comments [rss]

rparks1493

to Tim blog #18...

Mr. Autrey stated in several of his interviews that his main intention for saving this gentleman was to avoid his daughters seeing a man run over by the train. I think that was mighty nobel of him. He did not want his daughters to have the haunting memory of someone being hit by a train. That is thinking of his children! That is awesome.

A Friend

G.I. Autrey...A Real American Hero

i'd buy that doll and leave Joe up on the shelf.

kudos to you, Autrey. Thank you for showing us the good that some people are capable of.

Anonymous

A true hero!

Why not name the subway station after him!

Michael

train

this sounds like one of those things that comic books

peterpan

ohhhhh my he is a hero FORSURE no matter what he says

ala

wesley u rock

Wesley Autrey

I just want to thank everyone for their sincere comments.

Dat Deal

I admire Wesley Autrey

Lee

Thank God for someone like Wesley Autrey! What a breath of fresh air..with the media sometimes focussing on petty stupid things like who wore underwear! I am so proud of this man and what an honor for those people who have met him and know him. It's about time the world focussed on people like him as the true celebrities for what they have done for the human condition.

jbd

i am in absolute awe of this man.

thank you, mr. autrey, for being a better person than i could possibly think to be.

Linda C. Dayton, Oh

I was amazed when my son told me of this story. At first it was difficult to believe, but I realized that GOD is still in the saving business. God can and will use others to come to the aid of someone in trouble. I shed a few tears, then I realzed that all isn't as bad as we seem to make it. This man put another before himself and his actions were wonderful and God is very pleased.

DAVID LEE YOUNG

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE SUBWAY HEROE DESERVES EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN GIVE HIM AS A NATION. WE HAVE SO FEW GOOD NEWS STORYS TO READ ABOUT ANY MORE. AS A VETERAN AND A FORMER STATE TROOPER I CAN APPRECIATE WHAT HE DID. WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET THIS SELFLESS ACT OF HEROISM. I ONCE

SAVED THE LIFE OF THREE PEOPLE TRAPPED IN A CAR ON

THE GERMAN AUTOBAHN AND THE GERMAN POLICE WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COMMANDING OFFICER GAVE ME AN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR MY ACT OF HEROISM. MR AUDREY HAS AGAIN MAKED ME PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, TO HIM I SAY THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU A BLACK AMERICAN HERO.

anonymous

I think it's commendable that Senator Clinton, Mayor Bloomberg and Donald Trump took the time to recognize Wesley Autrey's heroism when he rescued a young man on the train tracks. But he was not the first. Unfortunately, Senator Clinton, the mayor nor Trump made the same effort to recognize New York City's own MTA hero, Phillip Goding.

See article, "His courage didn't flag in daring track rescue"

By FIONA McDONOUGH

DAILY NEWS WRITER

Monday, June 23rd, 2003

“For his bravery as a flagman, Phillip Goding, 48, has earned the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Act of Heroism Medal.”

jack bright

Up here in Canada we had Terry Fox. I said we were one up on the states but now you have Wesley Autrey. I've never admired anyone more then I admire this man. What he did was unbelievable.

jany

I love you Wesley Autrey!

D. Smith

Wesleys act of altruism is remarkable and inspiring to human-beings all over the world, not just 'New Yorkers'. The man is great. It's a shame that Disney World couldn't wait to advertise the company.Couldn't they have given him the freebies in private?

Jakub

Tak trzymać Autrey, dzięki takim jak Ty ten świat jeszcze stoi.

funkybrownchick

What an absolutely *beautiful* story!

Alemu

I really couldn't stop my tears while reading the story of this man. What a brave man he is ? Can I really do this ? Can I really stretch my hand to somene in that situation , let alone jumping and putting my life at risk ?. This is man is the hero of heroes and till doesn't want to call himself a hero. OMG !!!

Connie Ragen Green

What Mr. Autrey did reminds me of my friend, Mentor Tory Nuriu, who died on December 22, 2005. Tory was the same kind of person as this man, one who would really stand up for another human being.