Gallant guide dog Orlando, a
black Labrador retriever, bravely leapt on to the tracks at a Manhattan subway
platform on Tuesday after his blind owner lost consciousness and tumbled in
front of an oncoming train.Cecil Williams, 61, and Orlando both escaped serious
injury when the train passed over top of them a miraculous end to a harrowing
ordeal that began when Mr. Williams began to feel faint on his way to the
dentist.'He tried to hold me up,' Mr. Williams told The Associated Press from
his hospital bed.
Witnesses said Orlando began
barking frantically and tried to stop Mr. Williams from falling from the
platform. Matthew Martin told the New York Post that Orlando jumped down and
tried to rouse Williams even as a train approached.'He was kissing him, trying
to get him to move,' Mr. Martin said.Witnesses called for help and the train's
motorman slowed his approach as Mr. Williams and Orlando lay in the trench
between the rails.'The dog saved my life,' Mr. Williams said.
As Mr. Williams regained
consciousness, he said he heard someone telling him to be still. Emergency
workers put him on a stretcher and pulled him from the subway, and made sure
Orlando was not badly injured.'I'm feeling amazed,' Mr. Williams said. 'I feel
that God, the powers that be, have something in store for me. They didn't take
me away this time. I'm here for a reason.'
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