Mythbusters

Not long ago I saw in the Discovery Channel an episode of the Mythbusters in which the guys tried to confirm whether it's true or not that people can be sent flying a few feet backwards when they are shot with a high powered rifle.  In the program the conclusion was, if I'm not wrong, that this happens only in the movies, but in real life probably not.

Well, last night I was watching in the History Channel (again!) a documentary in which they show people risking their lives for other people.  They showed many times in slow motion the video of the assasination attempt of President Reagan.  One of his bodyguards stands in front of him and takes the bullet, in his chest I think, to save the president's life.  In that footage it's very clear that the guy is lifted off his feet perhaps one or two inches at the moment he took the shot, and it was a rather small firearm!

That was one brave guy!  And he did it instinctively, not after receiving a specific command.  By the way, he survived and fully recovered.