Plaque Honors Man Who Died Saving Trapped Parachutist 85 Years Ago
BURR RIDGE, Ill. (CBS) -- A new commemoration along Illinois' historic Route 66 has been unveiled today and it tells quite a story, reports WBBM's Dave Berner.
Beside a pond on the campus of the North American Spine Society in Burr Ridge is a new plaque honoring Bruno Schustek.
Keith Yearman, a geography professor at the College of DuPage, discovered Bruno' story.
"85 years ago today, Bruno Schustek gave his life trying to save a trapped parachutist," Yearman said. "This woman's parachute actually became entangled on the wing and for two hours she was dangling beneath the plane."
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That woman was Mary Fahrney, a Chicago heiress. Bruno, a World War I German pilot, moved into action.
"Bruno Schustek got into a plane with another pilot and Bruno actually lowered himself down the rope to try to free her," Yearman said.
Fahrney floated to the ground, but Bruno struggled to get back into his plane and lost his grip and fell 600 feet to his death.
The telling of the story, uncovered after decades, will be part of a new book on the historic highway.
