Harlem cabdriver Isidore Branham, 38, turned himself into a hero on Thursday at the 135th Street-Lenox Avenue station in Harlem on his way to work.
According to the New York Post, the Army vet, who is studying nursing, lifted an intoxicated man from the path of an oncoming subway train, risking his own life to pull the stranger to safety.
Timothy Moriarty, 57, got drunk and managed to find himself lying on the tracks, law-enforcement sources told the Post.
'This woman cried out, 'Oh, my God, somebody fell in the tracks!' Branham said. 'My instincts just came alive. All the training kicked in. I thought, I’m here. I can’t let this man die.'
Branham reportedly ran to the end of the 2-3 train platform where he discovered Moriarity lying between the tracks.
'We all started screaming because we saw the 2 train coming,' Branham's friend Twanna Jackson, 39, told the press.
But Branham still jumped into harms way to pull the heavy-set Moriarity out of harm's way.
'He was inside the railbed between the ties. I picked him up from his arms and dragged him across the rails,' he said. 'Once I got to the platform, I picked him up from the waist. I wanted to do a fireman’s carry but there was no time. The train was coming.
'I grabbed him by his belt. I scooped him up and pushed him on the platform. I curled him and lifted him in front of my body. This guy was really heavy. It was a shock to my body, but I was strong enough.'
A quick acting MTA clerk had alerted the conductor that someone was on the tracks, giving the train time to slow as ten women on the platform yelled to Branham to get off the tracks. But he didn't listen.
'I felt this man shouldn’t die this day, not while I knew I was capable. I was the man for the job. I used to work in transit. I’ve been on the tracks. I know how dangerous they are.
'About forty five seconds after I got him on the platform, the train passed by safely. I backed away when cops and EMS arrived.'
Moriarity was reportedly unconscious at a Harlem Hospital yesterday, with a black eye.
Police say he has an Upper East Side address, but the couple who live there insist he only stayed for a week several years ago. 'I don’t think he has a place to live,' the woman at the address, who grew up with Moriarity, told the Post.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.omaolchonaire | Jan 28, 2013, 12:13 PM EST
I know, I keep telling people, I'm of purebred Canadian race; it's so racist they lump me in there with those other filthy caucasians.
Smyrnian | Jan 28, 2013, 07:18 AM EST
Stevenstar - Exactly. This foolish drivel as I have said all along. Typical of this website, unfortunately.
STEVENSTAR | Jan 27, 2013, 11:00 PM EST
IS HE IRISH AND WAS HE ACTUALLY BORN HERE IN IRELAND .... BECUASE WE KNOW HOW U AMERICANS GO ROUND CALLING YOURSELF IRISH JUST BECAUSE AUNTY MARYS GREAT AUNT WAS IRISH AND MOVED THERE A 150 YEARS AGO... !!! BUT IS HE IRISH ?
anglo-norman | Jan 27, 2013, 06:10 PM EST
I didn't know seanomelb moved to New York?
gobdawpaddy | Jan 27, 2013, 11:03 AM EST
Not a good week for the Irish and their assosciation with alcohol. The Healy Rae nonsense in Kerry played out in the global media all last week and now a headline like this.
Smyrnian | Jan 27, 2013, 07:10 AM EST
By this reasoning Shaquille O'Neal is also an 'Irishman'. Typical IC muckraking drivel.
seamus60 | Jan 27, 2013, 04:27 AM EST
Fair play to Isodore. Credit to any man placing himself in danger to aid another. Regardless of the side show of what colour creed or nationality either is.
Renelda M. | Jan 26, 2013, 09:32 PM EST
This article made me laugh till my stomach hurt. The baqnner, the photo the COPY itself--oh!, and the first comment--are absolutely made up; pure fiction. Thanks for the levity on such a freezing cold night.
Willie Frazer | Jan 26, 2013, 08:21 PM EST
I believe this Irish man needed the help of the Lord and he received the lord,s help through this African man.Now I am not much of a lover of anyone that is not the colour of my own skin, but I believe that Jesus works in mysterious ways, maybe this is how that Irish man was supposed to be returned to the Lord OUR SAVIOUR.
SingleDonald | Jan 26, 2013, 08:21 PM EST
Isidore Branham is a true hero! Thank heavens he had proper training, and had previously been on the tracks.
Searlit | Jan 26, 2013, 06:57 PM EST
@PhlutiePhan, Thank-you. Wouldn't it be nice if more people acted like this man? Take care now. :-)
Smyrnian | Jan 26, 2013, 06:29 PM EST
By the way, if he is an Irishman, what County is he from? Manhattan County perhaps??
Smyrnian | Jan 26, 2013, 06:27 PM EST
Portia - perhaps. I do not know the poor mans circumstances. I am questioning why he is labeled as an Irishman. That's typical IC self loathing. Do they scrape the gutters each day for this stuff? Nothing like this happened to a 'Spanish', 'Italian', 'German'' person? Pure trash.
Portia_O'Neill | Jan 26, 2013, 05:24 PM EST
Timothy Moriarity is a drunk.
anglo-norman | Jan 26, 2013, 04:14 PM EST
RESPECT
Smyrnian | Jan 26, 2013, 03:22 PM EST
What makes him an Irishman? The Irish name? Is Shaquille O'Neil Irish too! Utter IC nonsense as usual.
Ron | Jan 26, 2013, 02:54 PM EST
What a guy! A REAL hero, unlike useless bloody people who often get called 'heroes' for some non-dangerous event. I'm reminded of the recent case of the photographer who clicked on a guy who fell on the tracks and got killed in NY. There was nothing that anyone could do, unlike this guy. What a man to have in your corner. Being a black he's done heaps for race relations too.
cabbagehead44 | Jan 26, 2013, 02:00 PM EST
Isidore Branham is a true hero! A heartwarming story to brighten your day! Much luck to him and I hope to Mr Moriarty in the future!
PhlutiePhan | Jan 26, 2013, 12:42 PM EST
@Searlit: Nice comment! Best wishes to you as well.
Searlit | Jan 26, 2013, 11:34 AM EST
Hooray for heroes! They make the world a better place for all of us to live. Hopefully, the saved Irishman, Mr. Moriarty will begin to value his life as much as the wonderful man that saved him.
irishdjkevin | Jan 26, 2013, 11:16 AM EST
Nothing like perpetuating the Irish stereo type. I thought you're writers were better than this.
AnPiobaire | Jan 26, 2013, 10:37 AM EST
Congratulations on that headline, Irish Central You have now become a full fledged English tabloid. Well done!
handsome68 | Jan 26, 2013, 09:40 AM EST
This has happened before in NYC subways. And too, I remember that Robert Lincoln, son of the murdered President, was saved in a similar incident (except that alcohol was reportedly not involved) by none other than Edwin Booth, brother of the President's murderer. My greatest respect goes to genuine heroes like this man. And the man saved should take his situation as a wake-up call, since next time there may not be a good samaritan around.