In the mid-afternoon of 4 May 1981, eighty-two-year-old David Downing accompanied by a five- year-old girl, was waiting to cross a busy downtown street. While the little girl stood in front of him at the street corner, a semi-tractor trailer and a car collided in the intersection. Realizing the danger when he saw the car slide sideways towards them, he grabbed the child and pulled her behind him in an attempt to protect her. He was hit by the car, and on impact was thrown against a steel pole, struck his head on a switch box and fell to the ground. There is no doubt that his quick action almost certainly averted a tragedy.