Ordinary people sometimes do extraordinary things when faced with circumstances that push them to their limits. Or perhaps they're already extraordinary people who just  didn't get the recognition they deserved before.

In Sunday's second chapter of "The Fatal Funnel," you'll meet one such woman, a Victoria fire captain, who was the second responder inside the trailer where 19 immigrants suffocated to death May 14, 2003. She shrugs and says she was just doing her job. Yet, when you read her story, you'll realize how extraordinary she is.

I hope readers will set aside the debate about illegal immigration for long enough to appreciate one of Victoria's quiet heroes. Please take some time to explore the special Web site created by talented multimedia intern Chelsey Delaney, a University of Texas student. The accompanying video produced by Bill Clough also powerfully captures the work of first responders; the closing scene is one that will stick with you.

Some may blanch at the image of inside the trailer. We discussed at length how to handle this. Ultimately, we decided we need to give readers a small sense of what first responders faced in order to fully convey the magnitude of the story. Even after reviewing all of the pictures we had from that day, I still can't imagine what the victims and the first responders endured.

As tough as our photo on E1 is to look at, consider what those on the scene saw and felt.