Manteca man receives award

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 21, 2005 | by Aaron Swarts, STAFF WRITER

MANTECA -- There have been 35 fatal accidents involving people trespassing on railroad tracks this year in California. Thanks to Manteca resident Frank Vielma, No. 36 has yet to occur.

At about 8 p.m. July 26, Vielma spotted a woman standing on the railroad tracks that run almost directly behind his home on Almond Avenue. She was standing frozen in one place, while the whistle of an oncoming train grew louder.

As his wife called 911 in an attempt to get the train stopped, Vielma jumped over his fence and raced toward the woman, pulling her to safety less than 2 seconds before the train would have struck both of them.

So intent was this woman on killing herself, Vielma had to restrain her with a bear hug until police arrived a few minutes later and took her into custody.

In honor of his quick thinking, Vielma was presented with a Community Hero Award by the Manteca Police Department during a Friday ceremony held just a fewyards away from where the incident took place.

Vielma also was honored by representatives from Amtrak, Union Pacific and numerous political officials, including Manteca Mayor Willie Weatherford.

This man is a true hero, Weatherford said. In todays world there are too many people who are too important and taken with their own lives to do anything like this, and yet here is a guy who risked his own life to save someone else.

Vielma said he wasnt really thinking when he took action that day.

It was a crazy situation, I was just acting on instinct, he said. I wasnt expecting things to end up like this. I am just glad nobody actually got hurt.

When asked if he felt like a hero, Vielma replied, I certainly do today.

James Martino, a captain with the Amtrak Police Department, said Vielma saved more than one person from a traumatic situation.

The engineers that drive these trains are fathers and mothers and the last thing they want to do is hurt someone, he said. That can be a really tough thing for someone to deal with.

As far as the woman Vielma saved is concerned, officials say she is currently dealing with her issues in a mental health facility.

We actually invited her to the ceremony today, said Rex Osborn, spokesman for the Manteca Police Department. She declined to attend, but wanted to thank Mr. Vielma for giving her another chance at life.