Orville L. Parde saved Mark A. Vanderbeek from burning, Panama, Nebraska, February 12, 1988. Vanderbeek, 32, was unconscious in his overturned and burning car, which had left the highway, struck a guardrail, and traveled down an embankment. Parde, 46, dairy farmer, witnessed the accident, approached the car, and reached through the broken-out windshield to unfasten Vanderbeek’s safety belt. Unable to open the driver’s door, Parde reached through a side window, grasped Vanderbeek, and pulled him out as flames began to enter the car. Parde removed Vanderbeek to safety shortly before the car was engulfed by flames. Vanderbeek was hospitalized a week for multiple injuries.
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