The most shared story on Facebook today from Yahoo! Japan is the bittersweet story of a woman who gave her life to save an elderly man who had fallen on the train crossing.
The man was lying on the tracks after the automatic barriers at the train crossing had come down, and the woman, Murada Natsue, could not bear to see him hit by a train. She climbed onto the tracks in an attempt so save his life, but in doing so was killed by the train.
From Asahi Digital:
Woman Enters Train Crossing To Save Man ‘I Have To Save Him’, Father Says “It’s No Use” — JR Yokohama Line
Kanagawa Prefectural Police Midori Division have announced that in an accident on the train crossing just before noon on October first at the JR Yokohama Line in Nakayamamachi, Midori Ward, Yokohama, a woman who died after being hit by a train in an attempt to save a man (74), was Murada Natsue (40), of Daimuracho, also in Midori Ward. The man suffered serious injuries including a broken collarbone, but his life is not in danger.
According to police, the man was lying down on the outbound line when the automatic barriers on the crossing closed. Murata, who was at the front of a line of cars waiting at the crossing shouted “He’s going to get run over” and dashed inside the crossing.
Murata’s father, Murata Shigehiro (67) said that Natsue was in the passenger seat of the car her father was driving. When she saw the man inside the crossing, she said “I have to save him”, and got out of the car shaking off her Shigehiro’s plea that “Don’t do it, it’s not use”. She entered the crossing, and crouched around the man’s midriff as he lay on the tracks as she tried to move him aside.
Shigehiro said “She was the kind of girl who could never just leave someone in trouble. I want the man to go on living for a long time.
Natsue lived with both her parents. Since 4 or 5 years ago, she had been helping her father with his property business. On the day she died, the two had finished their outside work, and were on their way back to the company.
A male employee said of Natsue that “She was a warm and kind person”. In the past, Natsue had also looked after elderly people who had lost their way in town, and people who were drunk; she would ask their name and address and contact their family.
According to the JR East Japan Yokohama Branch, the driver had noticed Natsue and the man on the crossing about 200m ahead and had applied the emergency brake; however the train did not stop in time.
Comments from Twitter:
mayamiyama:
I know this crossing, so this is all the more painful to hear. I’m praying for you, Natsue.
かまちゃん:
Just saw the news. This huge lotus blossom has been called to heaven. May she rest in peace.
Natsue, your courage has moved so many people.
It made me wonder what I would have done if I had been there.
えほん:
Had it been me, I definitely wouldn’t have saved him. Rest in peace, Natsue.
でぃー【確変希望】:
So someone who didn’t have long left to live anyway is still alive — is that OK? Did he want to commit suicide? Or did he have dementia?…Why was he lying on the tracks? (-.-)y-~
公孫Xeno軒轅:
(T_T) So sad! Such sorrowful news! To think that she sacrificed herself.
心の声に耳を傾ける♪HIROMI A.:
She must have been such a kind woman. Rest in peace.
akiko suu（若葉）:
This is my neighbourhood! I didn’t even know about this. But it made me think of that woman who died yesterday when she chased her dog onto the crossing.
雷電乃助:
The world is cruel….
堀直樹:
I didn’t see this on the app yesterday, but she is photographed there with her dog. I hope that you can meet again in heaven someday.
StLouisBread:
This story made me cry. I understand how her father, who was with her at the time, must have felt. But I think that I would probably have done the same thing. How could those other people bear to stay quiet when this was right before their eyes?
Dr. Rumi Ide（井出留美）:
This was a magnificent thing to do, and of course I think that the story will be retold as a heartwarming tale of courage, but it’s complicated when you think of the father who lost his daughter. Had it been me, I really feel that I would think of those close to me before I thought of other people.
よーいち@えげれす:
It’s always thoughtful people who end up as victims. It’s just heartrending.
オランダ@ほのりずみゆ:
Why is someone who basically tried to commit suicide still alive when the person who tried to save them is dead? It’s outrageous.
ランサー艦長:
I wonder why she didn’t push the emergency stop button at the crossing?
ゴマ:
It really is true that the good die young.
ウサ子＠反TPP弁護士ネットワーク応援中:
Couldn’t the driver see her trying to save him?
