The Bwog
Catching Up with the Subway Hero
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As we reported earlier, last week, a Columbia facilities employee jumped three tracks to save a man who had fallen off the subway platform. (Though apparently, the fallen man had fallen due to drunkenness, and not a stroke.) The facilities worked is Veeramuthu Kalimuthu (known as Kali), and his story has since been picked up by Gawker, WCBS, and the Drudge Report. You can watch WCBS' interview here, by clicking on the "Watercooler" on the right.

Remember how we also reported that he had gone back and jumped over the rails to get back to the other side of the subway? According to WCBS, it was so that he could get back home to his wife and kids. (Aw!)

Kali for class speaker!

Read more: Subways, The Subway Hero

March 20, 2008 @ 9:33 PM | Comments 18 comments | Add comment Post a comment | Link to this article | | Email this post | Share on Facebook

Posted by Anonymous: [#1] [reply] [track]
( posted March 20, 2008 at 9:38 PM )
This man is very nice.
Posted by yup: [#2] [reply] [track]
( posted March 20, 2008 at 11:42 PM )
yay for real
Posted by UNDERMINED: [#3] [reply] [track]
( posted March 20, 2008 at 11:42 PM )
comma splice in the lead.
Posted by I read: [#4] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 12:17 AM )
the headline and thought Jared moved into the neighborhood.
Posted by no snark: [#5] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 12:27 AM )
from me for once...way to go V
Posted by yea: [#6] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 1:08 AM )
that fellow is a nice guy. seemed like one of the more competent facilities type. i think he was the one who actually fixed the power when my suite was in the dark for a day.

give him a bonus or something.
Posted by hmm: [#7] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 1:44 AM ) (from campus)
Won't he get a medal at the next State of the Union? I remember the last subway-hero did.

Posted by ...: [#8] [reply] [track] (in reply to #7)
( posted March 21, 2008 at 2:33 AM )
not to diminish the risk that this guy took to save a stranger, but i think there's a difference between lying on top of someone as a train speeds over you inches from your head and having enough time to hop across the entirety of the tracks, hoist a drunk guy up, and get all the way back before a single train comes by.
Posted by ...: [#9] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 12:43 PM ) (from campus)
so i just got off the phone with joyce in medals and honors. she told me that subway incidents are considered "novel-discretionary", therefore they're only considered for honors once every five years or time constant of public memory, whichever comes first.
Posted by lol: [#10] [reply] [track] (in reply to #8)
( posted March 21, 2008 at 2:29 PM ) (from campus)
i think at such extreme acts of heroism the difference is so small u can't really sneer that this isn't quite as extreme as the previous incident.
Posted by yeah...: [#11] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 2:37 PM )
go indian!
Posted by See here: [#12] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 3:12 PM ) (from campus)
Amazing that the working class man has so much more nobility, character, and fidelity than 99% of the columbia population. Name a single Columbia student that would do the same that this brave gentleman, besides myself would. NONE. NOT A SINGLE ONE.
Posted by dear bwog: [#13] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 6:42 PM )
arrange a gift to be sent to this guy. seriously. have people submit things (gift cards or whatever)
Posted by HAHAHAHA: [#14] [reply] [track] (in reply to #12)
( posted March 21, 2008 at 7:32 PM )
"Name a single Columbia student that would do the same that this brave gentleman, besides myself would. NONE. NOT A SINGLE ONE."

Really? You? You're that special?!
Posted by ...: [#15] [reply] [track] (in reply to #11)
( posted March 21, 2008 at 8:55 PM ) (from campus)
go south indian!
Posted by huh?: [#16] [reply] [track] (in reply to #3)
( posted March 21, 2008 at 9:05 PM ) (from campus)
where's the comma splice?
Posted by lolKali: [#17] [reply] [track]
( posted March 21, 2008 at 9:34 PM )
He's named after the Hindu goddess of death
Posted by go kali: [#18] [reply] [track]
( posted March 22, 2008 at 3:43 PM )
how do you know he's not Sri Lankan or whatever? more importantly, why does it matter? why so proud of his national affiliation? i'm annoyed & stressed out about my to do list, so what better way to spend my time than quiz you about some nonsense...
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