My Dad, A Hero!

It's been a while since I have posted anything as I have been really busy. Part of my time has been spent writing a book about my family. Of course, the first person I started writing about was my Daddy. I was 19 years old when he died in 1961 and I didn't realize how much the pain of losing him at such a young age was still there. As I began to relive memories and my brothers and sisters began sending me memories they had, it was as if Daddy only left us yesterday. My Daddy was a terrific person and was good to all of us. After living almost 65 years, I have prayed for and counseled a lot of young women whose Dad's were not so good to them. I'm amazed at some of the stories, even from older women. I don't think I actually realized how much of a blessing my Dad was to me until I began to write these wonderful memories. I am truly blessed to have had such a wonderful Dad and want to honor his memory on this Father's Day.

Here is an excerpt from my book about my Dad that brought tears to my eyes. My Dad was a very brave man. One time Daddy saved a handicapped man who was trapped in a fire. I was very young at the time so my brother, Boyd, wrote this story about the heroic event. He said it took place in about 1952. Daddy would have been about 48 years old at the time. Here is Boyd’s story about what happened:

"The fire was at Clyde's Auto Salvage, not the court house. Clyde's was on South Robinson which was called Auto Salvage Row as all of South Robinson from the underpass to SW 15th was Auto Salvage Yards. There are still a few there now. Clyde had a handicapped man in a wheel chair that worked for him rebuilding generators and starters. The handicapped man had a small room in the back with a path thru a larger room just wide enough for his wheel chair There was no back door in the building. Many old generators and starters lined both the sides of the path so that filled the larger room and this path was the only way in and out of the back room. The handicapped man was in the back room cleaning parts with gasoline or another flammable liquid and the pan caught fire causing the building to catch fire and man could not get out for the smoke and flames. Clyde ran down the path to the room and pulled the man out of the wheel chair and tried to pull him out down the burning path. Clyde caught fire and ran out leaving the man in the path. Fortunately, Daddy was there buying car parts. Clyde came running out on fire yelling for someone to go get the other man out of the fire. Daddy ran into the flames and smoke, grabbed the man and dragged him all the way up the path floor to safety, they were both on fire but folks who were standing by smothered out the fire on their bodies.

Daddy's back was burned severely as his shirt caught on fire, but he would not leave the handicapped man to burn. The handicapped man and Clyde were also burned badly, but all survived. The salvage yard was completely burned and building was destroyed. After recovery, the handicapped man (I knew his name but have forgotten it) opened a generator and starter repair shop at his home as he had many customers and did good work. Later, I went over to his place to have a starter rebuilt. I told him I was Cecil's son. Big tears came into his eyes and he pulled me down to him in the wheel chair and gave me a big hug. I will never forget it, he said, ‘Thank God for your Father, he pulled me from the flames and saved my life.’ "

After the fire, I remember walking into Mama & Daddy’s bedroom and Mama was rubbing burn ointment on Daddy’s back. He was severely burned and he had scars on his back from that fire for the rest of his life. My Dad was very brave to have done this heroic act. He never received any official recognition for this selfless deed that I recall, but he definitely should have. He risked his life to save another man's life. The Bible says in John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

I also thank God for my Dad. I know for sure that one day I will see him again in heaven. Thank you, God, for giving me a wonderful Father.