Longview man, 82, throws football block to take down suspected burglar

BY Jamie Skorheim  on February 11, 2013 @ 12:39 pm (Updated: 2:26 pm - 2/11/13 )

Police in Longview, Wash. have an 82-year-old man to thank for helping them nab a suspected burglar.

Terry Miracle, 82, says moves he learned on the Puyallup High School football field helped him take down a burglary suspect leading police on a chase through his neighborhood on Friday.

Miracle tells KIRO Radio's Luke Burbank he used a cross-body block to take down the suspect in his backyard.

"He came around the corner, and I had a tiny fraction of a second to see him, the direction he was going, and where I was, and I said to myself, 'Cross-body block, I can do it. I can get him.' And I ran and did it and did get him."

Miracle says he learned the move when he was playing second-string center at Puyallup High School.

"My responsibility on kickoffs, when the other team was kicking to us, my responsibility was to knock down the kicker so that he would not play anymore role," says Miracle.

"I saw him [the burglary suspect] coming at me the same way I saw the kickoff man coming at me on a kickoff, and he was going so that we could meet at a point where I could perfectly throw this block."

The block took down the suspect, and Miracle says police, who were only about 20 yards behind the suspect, were able to contain him.

Though the hit was hard enough to take down the suspect, Miracle says he wasn't hurt.

"I had my knee pads from when I was down in the garden."

Miracle says he wasn't trying to be a hero. His old football moves just kicked in like instinct.

Jamie Skorheim, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Whether it's floating on Green Lake, eating shrimp tacos at Agua Verde, or taking weekend drives out to the Cascades, she loves to enjoy the Pacific Northwest lifestyle as much as humanly possible.
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Comments (5)


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  • CH wrote...
    I tell good stories too
    February 11, 2013 3:28 pm
    lets see a picture of the 27 year old! If he only weighed 350 lbs.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    Way to go, Mr. Miracle.
    February 11, 2013 3:33 pm
    Way to go.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    Holy cow!
    February 11, 2013 3:59 pm
    I have to say I was listening to the interview today and almost fell asleep... That was by far the longest and most boring interview on an interesting story though. I have to give you kudos Luke for obviously understanding it and trying to move it along without being rude to the guy. Just don't have him on again he does not know how to stick to the story and made it boring as all get up!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    Nice!!!!
    February 11, 2013 5:15 pm
    Give Mr. Miracle a medal just make sure it is made of real gold.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Oh great Scot!
    February 12, 2013 6:02 am
    Now the regime will want to outlaw old men who used to play football!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }