A story broke recently in the St. Petersburg Times about a young hero from the University of South Florida. Danous Estenor, a linemen for the USF Bulls, is being hailed as a local hero after a letter from the manager of the Bulls Den Cafe told the tale of Estenor’s heroics.
According to the report, Danous Estenor stopped at the Bulls Den for a bite to eat when he heard a woman screaming for help. Answering the screams, Estenor saw an unimaginable scene: a tow truck driver was pinned under the tire of a 1990 Cadillac Seville. Two men and the pinned man’s wife were trying desparately to lift the car.
Danous Estenor is a 21 year old, 6-foot 3 offensive lineman for USF who weighs in at 295 pounds. Estenor said that all he could see was the man’s legs and the fact that he wasn’t moving. Estenor said he was sure the guy was going to die.
Estenor said, “I tried to lift the car, and when I first tried, it didn’t budge. I backed up. I don’t know. But I felt this energy come, and I lifted it. I don’t know how, but somebody pulled him from the car.”
Maria Uribe, wife of Pedro Arzola, the man pinned under the car, had been asleep in her husband’s truck when she heard him yelling, “Ayudame!” which means “help me.” Arzola was dragged about 10 feet by the Cadillac before his shoulder become lodged under the rear tire. Arzola sustained a dislocated shoulder and some cuts and bruises.
Estenor didn’t finish his supper at the cafe that night. He told his teammates of the amazing night he’d had, but most didn’t believe him. Then, Coach Skip Holtz got the letter from the manager of the Bulls Den confirming Estenor’s story. Now, his teammates tease him, calling him “hero,” but Estenor says it reminds him not to set limits on what he can do.
Today, Arzola is still towing trucks and Danous Estenor is still playing football as USF. The story has spread on campus, and Arzola still gets questions about the guy who was pinned under a car and died.
He just laughs and says, “That’s me.”
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