College Sports Information Directors of America

BEREA, Ohio – At 12:45 Friday afternoon, Kevin Ruple was eating a chicken wrap and drinking a Bud Light at the Oriole Cafe near the Baldwin Wallace University campus.

Ruple, the director of athletic communications and public relations for the football program at the Division III school, is a regular at the Oriole.

"How often does Kevin eat here? About seven days a week," said Bob Visnic, the restaurant's owner.

"I actually left some of my beer. I only drank two-thirds of it, which is unusual for me. It's my brand, although at Christmas time, I sprinkle some cinnamon on Pabst Blue Ribbon and make the poor man's Christmas ale," said Ruple, 57.

Leaving slightly early made all the difference.

As Ruple opened the door to leave, he noticed a woman approaching the restaurant on a cane and held the door open for her.

"How long will it take to get lunch?" she asked Visnic.

Ruple walked toward his Ford Escape in the Oriole's parking lot. At that moment, a small red car began rolling down the slope of the parking lot toward busy Rocky River Drive. Ruple thinks the car was a Nissan Versa, but he is not sure because everything began to get hectic in a hurry. 

In the passenger seat of the runaway car was a disabled World War II veteran who was wrestling with its steering wheel as it gathered speed. He was Don Korkmaker, a friend of Visnic's, with whom he worked 20 years ago.

Korkmaker uses a walker to get around. He was not having a lot of luck with the steering wheel.

Usually, Ruple writes P.R. releases about players' heroics on the football field. Suddenly, the veteran publicist, who has been at BW for 35 years, was dodging cars in a deadly game that put the good Samaritan in peril.

Near the scenic overlook of the Berea Falls of the river, several cars sped around the curve of Rocky River Drive, heading toward the busy intersection with Bagley Road. They could have drawn a bead on the runaway car.

"My God, they're going to broadside him, or it's going to roll across the street and into the river," thought Ruple.

Racing into the street and waving his arms, Ruple was able to divert the oncoming cars. One of them barely missed him as he jumped into the runaway vehicle.

"I was able to jam on the brakes and reverse it," said Ruple, who narrowly missed two other cars as he backed into Pulaski Street, between Depot, near the Cleveland Browns' headquarters, and Bagley.

The shaken Ruple and Korkmaker traded hugs. Ruple also hugged Korkmaker's wife, who saw the whole thing from the restaurant.

"I was in the right place at the right time," said Ruple.

"I wouldn't have wanted to go out that way," said Korkmaker.

"I wouldn't have wanted you to go out that way," said Ruple.