Cameron Hollowpeter, 18, fell onto the tracks at the 137th Street and Broadway Station after apparently suffering a seizure, according to authorities.
Wes Autrey, a Navy veteran and construction worker, was standing nearby on the platform with his children when he saw Hollowpeter fall. Autrey jumped down to the track area and lay on top of Hollowpeter as a train passed about "2 inches" from his head.
In the split-second he had to decide as a southbound 1 train approached, Autrey said he chose to stay in the "gutter" between two sets of subway tracks instead of trying to pull the victim back up to the platform.
"I chose to dive on top of him and pin him down and myself down," said Autrey, 50.
Autrey said the rescue was especially difficult because Hollowpeter was confused and frightened.
"He didn't know who I was," said Autrey. "He was incoherent. The train comes and I have to make the decision whether to struggle and try to get him up to the platform or dive for the gutter and just push him back. So my thing was to just push him back and lay on top of him."
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