NYPD officers praised heroes for rescuing a man who fell onto subway tracks in Queens as a train of seven approached
QUEENS, N.Y. (WABC) — A heartbreaking video captured the frightening moment a man fell onto the subway tracks in Queens.
Luckily for him, there were two NYPD officers nearby who were ready, willing and able to do what a heroic police officer does: save lives.
The incident occurred Saturday afternoon at the 90th Street and Roosevelt Avenue stop.
Officers Jonathan Valle and David Canarte, just two years out of the academy, were assigned to the Mobile Force Field Post at the station when they saw a man fall from the platform onto the tracks of the southbound No. 7 train.
“We noticed a male walking a little too close to the edge and suddenly just fell onto the tracks,” Valle said.
The officers rushed over and tried to talk to the man, but he couldn’t respond. And in the distance a No. 7 train rolled up, about a minute away.
Officer Valle jumped on the bed and Officer Canarte tried to get the engineer’s attention.
“I signaled the train to stop, I’m not sure if he saw me but if he didn’t we had less than a minute to get him out,” Canarte said.
With the help of a good Samaritan, Officer Valle was able to lift the victim into the hands of Officer Canarte, who was on the platform.
Canarte was able to pull the man back onto the platform, while Valle and the good Samaritan also climbed back onto the platform before the train pulled into the station.
“He was a big guy, but with enough push-ups from the academy you can lift him,” Valle said.
The victim, who was a 23-year-old Bronx resident, was taken to a nearby hospital. Of course, the story could have ended differently.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to help someone who needs it. That’s why most people wear the shield on their chest,” Canarte said. “If you wear this shield on your chest, it is your duty.”
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