CARLETON, Mich. – Carleton is a small town of just over 2,000 people in Monroe County, and the police department is small. The doors are locked when the one deputy goes on patrols, but what happened just 100 yards away at some train tracks is the talk of the town.
"In this community, you see a lot of train tracks," Officer Gene Taylor said. "The trains come through quite frequently."
An emergency call to the tracks near the old mill brought out Taylor.
"There was a parent with a disgruntled juvenile who wanted to hurt themselves," Taylor said.
Taylor arrived and tried to defuse the situation.
"The young girl kept saying she was going to kill herself because nobody cared, and she wanted to end everything," Taylor said.
As Taylor talked to the 14-year-old girl, her attention turned to the tracks.
"This is what happened," Taylor said. "The gates activated and she was still over there. That's his warning."
The horn to warn of the freight train approaching only enticed the troubled teen. She jumped on the tracks.
"She basically wanted to get hit by the train," Taylor said. "The mother struggled with her, and she was making no progress."
Taylor had seconds to react, so he jumped into the train's path and yanked the teenager off the tracks.
"She kept yelling, 'Let me up. Let me up,'" Taylor said. "Everyone says the train was on top of me. I don't even recall seeing the train. I was so focused on getting that young lady off the tracks."
Taylor held her down until the roaring of the train passed.
"What could be so bad that a 14-year-old (thinks) that it's time to end your life?" Taylor said.
The police chief choked up thinking about his officer's heroic actions.
"I'm welling up now," Chief Roy Johnson said. "That 14-year-old is alive today because of him, and that's the only reason."
After reviewing the train's video, officials said it came within 20 yards of Taylor and the teenage girl.
"If it had been a second or two more, Officer Taylor and the 14-year-old girl would have been dead," Johnson said.
The small town considers Taylor a hero, but he said it was just another day on the job.
"I didn't want to give her an opportunity to hurt herself," Taylor said. "We're all heroes at some point, partner."
The teenager was taken to a hospital for treatment. The chief wanted to remind parents that there are resources to help anyone facing depression or suicidal thoughts. Residents can also call 911, which worked in this case.
You can watch Jermont Terry's full story in the video posted above.