Stockton Man Honored For Catching Oakland Raiders Fan Who Fell 67 Feet At Stadium
STOCKTON (CBS13) — A man who used himself as a shield to break a woman's fall from the top tier of the Oakland Coliseum during a Raiders game received national recognition for saving her life.
Stockton man Donnie Navidad received the Carnegie Hero Fund medal for his extraordinary act of heroism.
Normally when you're honoring heroes at the California Highway Patrol academy, you're talking about officers. But this time, it's about civilians who went above and beyond the call of duty.
Navidad was one of several people honored on Friday at an event the CHP hosted for one of the oldest nonprofit institutions in America, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
Navidad was at a Raiders game in 2013 when he heard commotion outside the stadium. A woman was teetering outside the top tier of the coliseum.
CBS13 spoke to the Marine vet days after the event where he says he watched in horror as the young woman jumped from the 67-foot ledge.
With his bare hands, he broke her fall. He ended up bruised but with no broken bones. She was critically injured, but survived.
He now joins thousands of brave men and women recognized by the foundation since 1904 for risking their lives for others.
Despite all the attention, he remains humble.
"This is outstanding. This is great. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else," he said.
He says he spoke with the woman several weeks ago, and she's still doing fine.
