Heroic grandpa celebrates milestone with granddaughter

AURORA - One-year-old Sara Miller is the center of attention at her birthday celebration. But people aren't just marveling at her pretty blue eyes or her pink velvet party dress; they're marveling at the story of sacrifice that made this day possible.

Jim Lewin and his wife were visiting Aurora from Durango in November 2008 to witness the birth of their first granddaughter.

Sara was only 11 days old when the family went to a Christmas celebration in downtown Littleton.

While pushing his granddaughter's stroller in a crosswalk, Lewin saw a speeding truck coming towards him. Knowing an infant as small as Sara couldn't survive the impact; Lewin pushed the stroller out of the path of the truck and put himself in its way.

"It was the best thing I ever did," Lewin said nearly a year later, "pushing her out of the street."

The accident left him in a coma with several broken bones, including broken ribs, a brain injury and temporary blindness.

It took more than five months in the hospital for the retired firefighter to be well enough to leave.

One year after the accident, Lewin has learned to walk again just as Sara begins to take her first steps.

"She's learning to walk; I'm learning to walk again. So we're kind of starting over in that way," he said.

Lewin has endured physical, speech and cognitive therapy for a year. He returned to his home in Durango in the spring.

"Home was kind of funny in a way because I had to learn what all the switches were and what they did," he said.

Lewin also had to readjust to his family while facing some physical injuries.

"I'm still blind in my left eye," he said. "Sometimes I can see pretty good, sometimes I can't."

He also suffers from dizzy spells and cognitive issues. He still wears a device on his left leg to keep it straight and help him walk, sometimes without even using his cane.

But he doesn't complain

"I had so many ups and downs. I didn't know if I would make it to my 65th birthday... I'm just happy to be here," he said.

Lewin sends his thanks to everyone who wished him well and helped him, including the First United Methodist Church of Durango, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, the Durango Lion's Club and the Durango Amateur Radio Club.

He doesn't remember the accident and still feels lucky to have survived, especially since emergency room doctors didn't think he'd make it.

Lewin says celebrating Sara's birthday with her is about much more than a party.

"We're going to have a special bond," he said.

That bond includes, one day, telling Sara about what happened and why he reacted the way he did.

"I wanted to do it because I love her," he said. "I'm so happy she survived and didn't get hurt."