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    'God Saved' Fiery Bridge Jumper

    Sept. 15, 2005
    Escolastico Arzu, 43, was plucked from the Hudson River by bridge workers and firefighters and was taken to Westchester Medical Center, where he was in critical but stable condition with burns covering 40 percent of his body.

    September 15, 2005 -- Escolastico Arzu got an early birthday present from God, his daughter said yesterday.

    Her dad is the construction worker who survived a desperate leap from the Tappan Zee Bridge on Tuesday after he was set ablaze in a fiery traffic accident that claimed the life of a friend.

    "He's doing well, but he's still in a lot of pain," said Kenia, 19, the oldest of his six daughters.

    She said her dad was upset he couldn't save his friend and co-worker, Angel Norales, who was killed when his stalled car burst into flames after being rear-ended on the bridge by a tractor-trailer.

    "He said he tried to help him, but he couldn't

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