CHICAGO (WGN) — A 20-year-old man who braved live, electrified train tracks in Chicago to save a stranger’s life was surprised with the gift of a car on Wednesday.
On Monday, Anthony Perry had just exited the Red Line CTA train at 59th Street when he saw an unconscious man bent over backward on the live rail track, according to a press release from I’m Telling, Don’t Shoot, a Chicago non-profit.
“I don’t think I was thinking about what could happen to me at the moment. It was more of what do I have to do to make the situation peaceful,” Perry said. “I felt a little shock. I felt it all over my body actually, and then I just didn’t let that stop me.”
In the video, the victim appeared to be twitching from electricity coursing through his body which seemed to jump to Perry each time he touched the man. Once freed from the tracks, Perry administered CPR to the victim, who eventually regained consciousness. Shortly after, paramedics arrived and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was expected to live.
Perry’s heroic act was captured on camera and posted on Facebook, which quickly went viral.
For his life-saving act, Early Walker, founder of I’m Telling, Don’t Shoot, purchased a 2009 Audi A8 and surprised Perry with the vehicle on Wednesday. Perry commutes more than two hours daily via two CTA buses and a train to get to and from his job.
“We need more Anthonys in the world,” Walker said. “We need more people like this.”
