Jesus Garcia and Nacozari
The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child. But Jesús García proved that it takes a very brave man to rescue a village. On November 7, 1907, railroad engineer Jesús García saved the entire village of Nacozari in Sonora, Mexico.
García noticed that a box car containing dynamite had stopped in the village had caught fire, and he quickly drove the car away from the town. The dynamite exploded, killing García and 12 other rail workers. In fact, the blast was felt 10 miles (16 kilometers) away from the scene. García's brave sacrifice saved the entire town of Nacozari.
The town, now known as Nacozari de García, continues to honor its hero with a monument in the town square. Many streets in Mexico bear the hero's name. Local officials have even dubbed a soccer stadium Estadio Héroe de Nacozari, and the entire country of Mexico celebrates November 7 as a national holiday.