Motorcyclist Meets his "Guardian"-

This story was on the FRONT page of the Houston Chronicle today. If you have time, I recommend reading it to the end. I am so glad they printed it and here is the link to see a picture.

click here link

Roberto Gauna, left, said he prayed for the injured Blessing at the accident scene: "'Lord, give this man life,' and he did.''
Nick de la Torre: Chronicle



June 14, 2007, 4:46AM
Motorcyclist Meets his 'Guardian Angel'
After a near tragedy on a local highway, man gets to know truck driver who saved his life


The angel's name is Roberto Gauna. The last time the two were together, Blessing was lying unconscious and appeared near death as Gauna prayed for a miracle in the middle of the northbound lanes of Interstate 45 near NASA Parkway.

That was on May 25, when what many consider a miracle unfolded after Blessing crashed into the back of a vehicle when a large, loose tire caused a multivehicle smashup.

"I thought you were fighting for your life," a tearful Gauna told Blessing on Wednesday when the two met for the first time since Gauna used his cement truck to stop traffic and keep other drivers from running over and killing Blessing. "I was holding your hand, and I prayed, 'Lord, give this man life,' and he did."

Gauna left the accident scene before anyone got his name, but he responded to Blessing's published plea that he step forward and be recognized. Gauna said he talked to family and friends and waited days before e-mailing Blessing last week.

On hand for Wednesday's reunion were Gauna's wife, Anabel, their seven children, and Blessing's wife, Dorothy, and their two toddler sons.


No memory of crash
Gauna recounted for Blessing the details of the accident, of which the motorcyclist has no memory. After Blessing's crash into a vehicle, Gauna said, he saw him fly into the barrier separating the north- and southbound lane before he rolled back into traffic lanes.

As unaware drivers behind him tried to speed through the slot-like construction area, Gauna said, he hit his brakes, straddled two lanes with his truck and forced motorists behind him to stop as he rolled closer to Blessing. Many speeding drivers maneuvered around, but one other man and several women stopped and raced to Blessing's aid, Gauna said.

"Your eyes were rolled back in your head, and you were making deep moans and grunts of death," Gauna told Blessing.

Blessing, 24, an insurance counselor who was traveling to work in north Houston from his Dickinson home at the time of the crash, shook his head repeatedly in amazement and smiled broadly as he heard the rescue story. He struggled to find appropriate words for Gauna.

"It's not that you should have done what you did," Blessing said. "It's that you did it. I can't say much more than 'Thank you,' but I'll never be able to thank you enough."

"Meeting him is better than meeting your favorite celebrity," said Dorothy Blessing. "He was brave, and he was courageous that day."

Gauna, 35, said he was raised to do the right thing as he grew up in Houston's East End. Early reports were that the trucker who prevented Blessing from being run over drove an 18-wheeler, but Gauna said his cement truck had only 10 wheels.

"I just reacted," he said, detailing events for Blessing.

As others began tending to Blessing on the freeway that day, Gauna said, he and another man tried to get traffic moving again to make way for the ambulances, whose sirens they heard in the distance.

Gauna said he was astounded when he looked back at Blessing.

"You were sitting up and unstrapping your helmet and pulling it off your head," Gauna told him.

By that time, someone had found out Blessing's name by going through his wallet.

Gauna recalled Blessing's first words.

"I said, 'Jeff, God is with you,' " Gauna told Blessing. "You said, 'He's always with me.' "

kevin.moran@chron.com