Roy Larson thought the most difficult part of his day would be maneuvering the unfamiliar stick shift on a "loaner" electric wheelchair as he ventured into downtown Glen Ellyn, Illinois, for a haircut.
But his day was about to become much more trying.
As he was crossing the railroad tracks on Main Street, one of the chair's wheels became lodged in the track. As Larson struggled to free the wheel, something went wrong with the chair's electrical system, and the chair refused to move.
Suddenly the lights began to flash, and the signal bells started to ring. The gates in front of Larson and behind him began to lower.
The first person Larson saw as he frantically looked for help was Mark Bade. Bade had been running an errand when he saw that Larson was in trouble. He sprinted to Larson's side and began to struggle with the chair.
At almost the same moment, Don Burgeson had stopped his car at the gates and saw what was happening. He leaped out of the car and helped Bade wrench the chair free from the track and drag it out of harm's way.
The three men looked up, just in time to see the train was less than 20 yards away.
"After the train went by, I just said thanks," Larson said. "The only reason I am here today is because these two guys saved my life."
