JESUS GARCIA

Jesus Garcia was a 24-year old train engineer in Mexico who became a national hero on this date in 1907. His train ran a route through the northern Mexican state of Sonora and into Arizona. At the lay-over in the mining town of Nacozari, Garcia noticed that hay on top of one of cars of his train was afire (probably from sparks blown out the stack by a defective fire box). That car and several others were loaded with dynamite. He restarted the engine and raced the train nearly 3 miles out of town before the car blew up killing him but saving the small town.

The town changed its name to Nacozari de Garcia and a statue was raised in his honor. Jesus Garcia is honored throughout Mexico- many streets and a sports stadium are named after him. The American Red Cross named him Hero of Humanity. Mexican railway workers consider this date a holiday.