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Mr. Clinton Beck |
Rescuer of two children from burning auto wins Clinton Beck, an assistant starter who pulled two children from the back of a burning auto, was announced as the winner of the 2006 Race Track Chaplaincy of America White Horse Award on Thursday, November 2 at Churchill Downs. Beck won the award during the Taylor Made Sales Agency White Horse Award attended by some 250 people in the track’s Triple Crown room co-hosted by Chris Lincoln and retired Hall of Fame jockey, Laffit Pincay Jr. Beck, working at the time as an assistant starter at Pimlico, was on his way home after work when a motorcycle passed his car and crashed into a car pulling onto the road. The accident caused the motorcycle to catch fire that quickly spread to the car, containing two adults in the front and two children ages four and 10 months in the rear. While one bystander helped the two adults exit the front seat, Beck used an elbow to break a back window. The older child wrapped her arms around his neck, but the younger was stuck in a car seat. |
Beck said he could see the car’s gasoline fumes venting over the burning motorcycle and hear its gasoline bubbling in the tank, Beck used a pocketknife to free the younger child. He gathered the two in his arms and turned to run, the car exploded sending the three to the ground. All suffered minor injures, but Baltimore County Fire Department, who are presenting Beck with a Commendation for Bravery, said Beck saved the lives of the two children. Beck credits his courage with becoming a Christian after a talk with RTCA Chaplain Les Riggs 12 days before the accident. “It all happened in seven breaths and I said to myself ‘this is my first test and if I burn up at least I’m gong to heaven,’” said Beck who is married and has two young children. Beck, who makes his home in Vinton, LA, will work as an assistant starter during the upcoming season at The Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Beck receives a $5,000 prize and a limited edition bronze White Horse Statue. The three runners-up receive $1,000 and all four nominees receive free trips to the $20 million Breeders’ Cup World Championships. “For these people (nominees) to lay down their lives so that people can live, all I can say is that I appreciate them from the bottom of my heart,” said Duncan Taylor, the Taylor Made Sales Agency President who along with retired Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day made the presentation. During the same luncheon, RTCA also presented the White Horse Community Award to three Lexington, KY police officers, Brian Jared, Jon Sallee and Pete Maupin, who pulled the lone survivor from the airport’s fiery August 27 Comair crash that took 49 lives. For more information contact RTCA Executive Director, Dr. Enrique Torres,
or Development Director, Rev. Ed Donnally at (818) 653-3711 or edonnally@racetrackchaplaincy.org |
The horse is wearing a blue and white saddle towel in
honor of of Isreal and has "Faithful and True" on the saddletowel
quotes REV 19:11 in which Scripure reads "Now, I saw heaven opened
and behold a white horse. And he who sat on him was called Faithful and
True....".
2006 White Horse Award Winner Clinton Beck holds his award while champion jockey and ceremony co-host, Laffit Pincay Jr. looks on. Photo Credit to Joe DiOrio/Horsephotos.com RTCA's 2006 White Horse Award Winner Clinton Beck addresses the audience while presenters look on. From left, RTCA Executive Director: Dr. Enrique Torres, RTCA President: Edward Smith, V.P. of Public Affairs for Youbet.com: Lonny Powell, Winner: Clinton Beck, Co-host: Laffit Pincay Jr., RTCA Industry Spokesperson: Pat Day and President of Taylor Made Sales Agency: Duncan Taylor. Photo Credit Les Riggs. |