Dramatic video shows Chicago man risking his life rescuing a man electrocuted on train tracks
He was given an incredible reward for his actions.
Chicago's red line train.
What makes somebody a hero these days? The term gets thrown around a lot. But usually it refers to someone who puts themselves at risk to selflessly assist another person, help a vulnerable animal or speak out when others stay silent. Heroes aren't born, they are made. And in a story first reported by a Bay Area ABC News affiliate in 2022, we get to see some incredible heroism caught on camera.
Things started when a fight broke out between two men at the 69th Street Red Line station in Chicago on Sunday and it spilled over to the tracks as a train came through, narrowly missing them, according to ABC. One man was electrocuted by the third rail that powers the train and was unconscious and convulsing on the tracks when the other scampered away. While a group of onlookers on the platform watched the unconscious man as he writhed on the tracks, 20-year-old Anthony Perry jumped down and lifted his body off the third rail to safety.
Perry then administered CPR with the help of a bystander. "It was definitely surreal," witness Tavi Ghee said according to ABC. "That was an out-of-body experience."
"There was a lady, I guess she had medical experience. She was talking me through on what to do. I feel like that was an angel from God. I ended up doing chest compressions and turning him on his side until the fire department got there," Perry said according to FOX 32.
Ghee took video of the amazing rescue. Warning: The following video is graphic.
\u201cCTA rider Anthony Perry is being hailed as a hero after pulling an electrocuted man off the train tracks at the 69th Street Red Line station. (video from Facebook user Tavi Ghee June 5 at 4:38 PM)\nhttps://t.co/90e2yCKce4\u201d— SubX.News (@SubX.News) 1654745805
Perry’s heroics were incredible because he risked his life by approaching the third rail. “Customers who enter CTA tracks, known as the rail right of way, face not only the danger of oncoming trains, but also that of the third rail, which carries 600 volts of electricity used to propel trains—a level of electricity that is almost always lethal,” the Chicago Transportation Authority's website warns.
The man who was electrocuted suffered a burn to his left leg and an abrasion to the mouth but was transported to the hospital in good condition. The man who he fought with has yet to be caught, but the Chicago police are looking for him.
Perry briefly touched the rail and had minor burns.
"I was hoping I could just grab him and not feel nothing, but I felt a little shock," Perry said. "I felt it all through my body actually. I didn't let that stop me,” Perry said according to ABC.
“When I looked back on the video and I listen, it sounded like everyone was in fear … no one actually did anything, they just wanted to record,” Perry said according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
\u201cDRAMATIC VIDEO: A mass transit rider is being hailed a hero after pulling a man off the tracks at a Chicago station. Twenty-year-old Anthony Perry was honored with a ceremony and an amazing gift! \u2764 https://t.co/pPEaKZD737\u201d— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7 Eyewitness News) 1654814239
Perry was honored for his bravery on Tuesday with a ceremony with Chicago philanthropist Early Walker. Walker gave Perry a gas card for his bravery, knowing that he didn’t have a car.
But then a tow truck pulled up with a larger gift, an Audi A6.
The gift must have been a godsend for Perry, who has a 90-minute commute to work each day that requires him to take two buses and a train.
"We just wanted to honor you. We wanted to literally show our appreciation because we need more people like you. We need more Anthonys in the world. Everybody is about the views, about going viral but no one helps,” Walker said. “We just wanted to honor you, we want more Anthonys in the world.”
"Good does win," Perry said. "Good always wins!"
This article originally appeared two years ago.
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James Roh
James Roh
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."