Man loses own life after saving dozen others

[DarKJediKnight]

An 18-year-old construction worker braved rampaging floods in the Philippines to save more than 30 people, but ended up sacrificing his life in a last trip to rescue a baby girl and her mother who were being swept away on a styrofoam box.

Desperate relief effort amid rising death toll

Family members and people who Muelmar Magallanes saved have hailed the young man a hero, as his body lay in a coffin at a makeshift evacuation centre near their destroyed Manila riverside village.


Philippines residents go to all lengths to escape neck-deep flood waters. Photo: Reuters

"I am going to be forever grateful to Muelmar," said Menchie Penalosa, the mother of the six-month-old girl whom he carried to safety before being swept away himself. "He gave his life for my baby. I will never forget his sacrifice."

Mr Magallanes was at home on Saturday with his family when tropical storm Ketsana unleashed the heaviest rains in more than 40 years on the Philippine capital and surrounding areas.

At first the family, long used to heavy rains, paid little attention to the storm.

But Mr Magallanes and his father quickly decided to evacuate the family once they realised the river 800 metres away had burst its banks.

With the help of an older brother, Mr Magallanes tied a string around his waist and attached it one-by-one to his three younger siblings, whom he took to higher ground. Then he came back for his parents.

But Mr Magallanes, a strong swimmer, decided to go back for neighbours trapped on rooftops.

He ended up making many trips, and eventually saved more than 30 people from drowning, witnesses and survivors said.

Tired and shivering, Mr Magallanes was back on higher ground with his family when he heard Ms Penalosa screaming as she and her baby were being swept away on the polystyrene box they were using in an attempt to cross the swift currents.

He dived back in after the mother and daughter, who were already a few metres away and bobbing precariously among the debris floating on the brown water.

"I didn't know that the current was so strong. In an instant, I was under water. We were going to die," said Ms Penalosa, her eyes welling with tears and voice choking with emotion.

"Then this man came from nowhere and grabbed us. He took us to where the other neighbours were, and then he was gone," Ms Penalosa said.

Ms Penalosa and other witnesses said an exhausted Mr Magallanes was simply washed away amid the torrent of water.

Neighbours found his body on Sunday, along with 28 others who perished amid Manila's epic flooding. The official death toll stands at 100 with 32 missing.

Standing next to his coffin, Mr Magallanes' parents paid tribute to their son.

"He always had a good heart," said his father, Samuel.

"We had already been saved. But he decided to go back one last time for the girl."

His mother, Maria Luz, wept as she described her son as incredibly brave.

"He saved so many people, but ended up not being able to save himself."

True Hero.

 

[knowsbleed]

His family should feel honored to have raised such a brave young man.

 

[[A]]

What's with the Superman logo..?

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Wow. This simply amazing.

 

[knowsbleed]

What's with the Superman logo..?

It was pretty super of him to save all those people... man.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

 

[Bruce Banner]

Good Man

 

[Two-Face]

He was a true hero indeed.

 

[BigSams50]

Now thats going out like a man

 

[BillyZaned]

Did he end up saving the baby girl?

 

[Suirou]

Did he end up saving the baby girl?

Yeah, he did.

Props to him.

 

[Optikal]

Wow. What an absolute hero. A very rare man in these modern times.

 

[huskerwebhead]

I can only hope to be so brave in the face of such a disaster. It's good to see a story like this amidst all the darkness that is usually in the news.

 

[Van Petrol]

That's terrible. The man is true brave hero.

 

[Majic Walrus]

I wanted to say something but it didn't seem respectful. The kid did good.

 

[BillyZaned]

Yeah, he did.

Props to him.

makes me feel a little better about it... still sad.... dudes a hero...

 

[B]

Tragic story, the man is a proper hero no doubt about it

 

[Raiden]

It's terrible that a young man like that would lose his life so early, and it takes someone very courageous to have done what he did. It's a story I think that should receive special attention around the world, and not about stories that focus on people who had their 15 minutes of fame swallowing something weird accidentally.

 

[Paroxysm]

Meh, **** happens. He did what any of us would have done.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Hey we got 18 posts before they let the jerks in. Not bad.

 

[Raiden]

Meh, **** happens. He did what any of us would have done.

So if you just saved dozens of lives from the flood, fatigued to the point of total exhaustion, have made it to the higher grounds with your family and safe and secure, then saw a mother and a baby are about to get drowned down below, you will go right back to the flood water without a second's thought?

Just wondering.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

Hey we got 18 posts before they let the jerks in. Not bad.

Usually it takes about two or three, so this might be a record high.

 

[LEX]

And only eighteen years old, too. We need more people like him in the world.

 

[B]

Meh, **** happens. He did what any of us would have done.

You wouldn't have done it, you'd have been on the higher ground ****ting your pants..

 

[Majic Walrus]

Usually it takes about two or three, so this might be a record high.

Yeah could be. Personally I kind of hope Paroxysm does have the balls to be as brave. Very very soon too.