What a friend

A friend of mine is turning 50, and his wife asked friends for remembrances. Here's mine:

...  I think the most memorable for me was March 12, 1994, the night D saved my life. D and I were there as Northwestern unbelievably beat Michigan in basketball, and as the game neared its end D  turned to me -- his small, balance-challenged friend -- and said, "They're going to storm the court," which they did. I was fine, though, because D stood in front of me with his hands on my shoulders, bracing me against the riotous fans.