Dramatic Chicago rescue brings a touching act of kindness

A man had just fallen onto the electrified rail on Chicago’s Red Line – seemingly unconscious, convulsing and unable to save himself. A crowd was gathering, and the unfolding tragedy was being recorded.

That’s what Anthony Perry, 20, saw on June 5 as he got off at his usual train stop on his way home. Perry said he felt compelled to act: He jumped onto the tracks, skipped over the third rail and pulled the man to safety.

After that, Perry’s life mostly went back to normal – for about a day and a half, he said.

Soon, videos of the incident started attracting attention on social media. On Tuesday, Perry received a call from Early Walker, a Chicago native and founder of the anti-violence group I’m Telling Don’t Shoot.

Finding Perry had been no easy task, Walker said. He and his wife had seen a video of the heroic act circulating on social media but could find little information about the rescuer. After digging for several days, they finally found him.

He learned from Perry that the fateful trip to the train station could be traced to a misfortune that happened in April. After saving up for months, Perry said he invested all of his savings into what turned out to be a defective car. He had been relying on public transportation since.

Walker said he was inspired by Perry’s act of kindness, so he planned a surprise as a token of his appreciation.

“We see a lot of incidents where individuals just pull their phones out and literally that was the case here ... they were recording this gentleman dying and Anthony was the only one that decided to do something positive. So, I immediately jumped into motion and said, let’s help this guy,” Walker told USA TODAY.

They agreed on a time and place to meet: Wednesday afternoon in front of Meyering Park, near Perry’s residence.

Perry arrived to at the park the next day to find Walker, members of the Chicago Police Department, and local news channels’ crews awaiting him.

After introductions, Walker awarded Perry a $25 gasoline card – for his new 2009 Audi A8.

“We wanted to literally show our appreciation because we need more people like you. We need more Anthonys in the world,” Walker said to Perry. The gesture has since attracted national attention.

Perry said the car will make his life “way easier,” cutting his daily commute from more than an hour to about 30 minutes.

PAT NABONG/AP Anthony Perry, 20, was gifted a car by Early Walker, founder of the organization I’m Telling Don’t Shoot, after videos of him saving a man from being electrocuted went viral.