Excepts from story about Janet Bodine: We often get caught up in the tabloid-type stories that take place off the track in NASCAR, most of them because of something controversial or what might be considered juicy. Well, here’s an off-the-track story that is neither controversial nor juicy, but is a story worth telling. It is a story about Janet Bodine, who on most weekends is known as the wife of Todd Bodine, a two-time Truck series champion nicknamed “The Onion” because of his bald head. It is the story of a Good Samaritan. We don’t hear enough about the good deeds people do, but last Saturday as Janet was driving on Interstate 77 near Mooresville, N.C., she witnessed an accident that ultimately resulted in the death of an 18-year-old woman. Janet was driving southbound and the pickup involved in the accident was going northbound when it reportedly swerved, hit a guardrail and flipped. Janet easily could have kept going as others did, particularly since she was going in the opposite direction and was separated by a median. She didn’t. She turned around and arrived on the scene in time to realize both girls were seriously injured and that the pickup was leaking fuel that could ignite at any moment. She didn’t worry about the danger she might be putting her life in. As a trained paramedic she quickly organized a plan, having a friend with her call 911 and ask for two helicopters or ambulances, a fire truck and police. She assessed the severity of the injuries and told others not trained what to do to keep Stephanie Cernuto stable while she tended to her more severely injured twin sister, Jennifer, who died at the scene.Because of what she loves to do, Janet has an uncontrollable urge to stop whenever she sees somebody in need on the side of the road. That’s why she stopped last Saturday when others kept going, despite the risks. “When you work in this business you really don’t look at it as putting your own life at risk,” Janet said. “You almost don’t even think about your own life. You worry about the risk of others. What I didn’t want was that vehicle to roll over and trap that girl in place.” It’s a story worth telling. It’s a Good Samaritan story.(ESPN.com)(7-11-2011)
