Peyton A. Lawson saved Christine Jackson, 49, from being killed by a train, Jasper, Florida, May 19, 1960. Mrs. Jackson stopped on a railroad crossing and stood rigidly only inches from the track on which a freight train was approaching at 40 m.p.h. Lawson, 49, tobacco salesman, noticed that Mrs. Jackson was making no effort to move and ran 90 feet toward her, reaching the track when the locomotive was 70 feet from the crossing. Without stopping, Lawson ran across the path of the train to Mrs. Jackson, who stood with her back toward him. The locomotive was 25 feet from them as Lawson lunged against Mrs. Jackson, at the same time grasping her around the waist. The impact of Lawson’s lunge moved Mrs. Jackson to five feet beyond the rail, where she then stood rigidly with Lawson behind her. Projecting hand-irons of the locomotive came within two feet of Lawson, who held Mrs. Jackson tightly as the train passed at undiminished speed.
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