Union of minds
One day after Christmas 2003, there were clear transit on Cedar Avenue, a four-lane artery from Fresno, California. Suddenly a white van in which side the sign read "Carpet Cleaning" hit the divider and bolted into the air. A moment later, a roar filled the quiet side streets when the vehicle bounced on the pavement and the front was crushed like aluminum foil.
Bob and Grace Hatmaker, heading south on the avenue and had just gone through the same spot, looked back and saw the truck turned sideways across the street, shooting shards of metal and glass. Finally, after crashing into the pavement opposite and down a light pole, the vehicle is stopped. Grace, emergency nurse for 30 years, opened his door.
Bob and Grace Hatmaker, heading south on the avenue and had just gone through the same spot, looked back and saw the truck turned sideways across the street, shooting shards of metal and glass. Finally, after crashing into the pavement opposite and down a light pole, the vehicle is stopped. Grace, emergency nurse for 30 years, opened his door.
Nhung Nguyen Hung and were right behind the truck when it flipped. They turned into the first return they found and stopped near the crash site. The truck, loaded with carpet cleaning equipment and water tanks had been dumped the driver's side, hissing in the wind.
At about 23 meters away in the backyard of a house, Jordan Thomson, 18, his sister Heather, 16, and his cousin Scott Beatty, 13, shared with their grandparents a postponed Christmas dinner. In that, a roar shook the table. Jordan crossed the garden and heard a man shouting for help.
At about 23 meters away in the backyard of a house, Jordan Thomson, 18, his sister Heather, 16, and his cousin Scott Beatty, 13, shared with their grandparents a postponed Christmas dinner. In that, a roar shook the table. Jordan crossed the garden and heard a man shouting for help.
"Call emergency number - told his grandparents before running into the street.
Heather and Scott followed. Upon arriving at the scene saw the man who had shouted: Jim Tracy, who, with his face bloodied, was out of the truck through the gap of the broken windshield.
Michael Matula and Yvette Crozier-Matula, who also witnessed the rollover, they ran to help when the car struck the curb. Everyone thought that the man was the driver and breathed a sigh of relief that he was alive, but Grace Hatmaker, which was placed near the front of the truck, looked down and discovered the awful truth: the real driver, covered with a layer of glass broken, was trapped from the chest to the legs under the vehicle. Dump Angle, half on the sidewalk and half on the pavement, fell with his full weight on the human body.
Heather and Scott followed. Upon arriving at the scene saw the man who had shouted: Jim Tracy, who, with his face bloodied, was out of the truck through the gap of the broken windshield.
Michael Matula and Yvette Crozier-Matula, who also witnessed the rollover, they ran to help when the car struck the curb. Everyone thought that the man was the driver and breathed a sigh of relief that he was alive, but Grace Hatmaker, which was placed near the front of the truck, looked down and discovered the awful truth: the real driver, covered with a layer of glass broken, was trapped from the chest to the legs under the vehicle. Dump Angle, half on the sidewalk and half on the pavement, fell with his full weight on the human body.
- There is someone down here! - cried Grace.
Her husband, Bob, and Zoe Anne Pope, who had just arrived, removed the glass. The driver, Jonathan Stewart, 35, was pale and rigid. Although his eyes were open, showed no signs of life.
Grace knelt and put a hand on Jonathan's neck.
- No pulse - he said -. Nor breathes. The van is being crushed. We have to take off some pressure!
Bob put his hands on the hood and leaned all his weight. Zoe Anne's husband, Roy, and her daughter, Hilary, undergraduate student, placed on the sides of the vehicle, like Michael Matula, brothers and cousin Scott Thomson. Together, they began to push, but the truck did not move.
Zoe Anne knelt in front of Grace and began to pray the Our Father. Grace also prayed. Seconds later, the van was raised a little. Several others - Wendell Gentry, Hung and Nguyen Nhung and others - supported the hands on the vehicle and pushed. It rose a little more.
Her husband, Bob, and Zoe Anne Pope, who had just arrived, removed the glass. The driver, Jonathan Stewart, 35, was pale and rigid. Although his eyes were open, showed no signs of life.
Grace knelt and put a hand on Jonathan's neck.
- No pulse - he said -. Nor breathes. The van is being crushed. We have to take off some pressure!
Bob put his hands on the hood and leaned all his weight. Zoe Anne's husband, Roy, and her daughter, Hilary, undergraduate student, placed on the sides of the vehicle, like Michael Matula, brothers and cousin Scott Thomson. Together, they began to push, but the truck did not move.
Zoe Anne knelt in front of Grace and began to pray the Our Father. Grace also prayed. Seconds later, the van was raised a little. Several others - Wendell Gentry, Hung and Nguyen Nhung and others - supported the hands on the vehicle and pushed. It rose a little more.
"Thy will - said Zoe Anne and Grace, and Jonathan just then began breathing with loud gasps.
His pulse returned with such force that it felt Grace fingers still resting on the neck.
- Breathe! - shouted -. Pulse! Keep pushing!
But the truck, which had begun to drip soapy water, never moved. Heather grabbed a piece of the pole down and tried to use it as leverage to lift the rear of the vehicle. Seeing what her sister did, Jordan shouted:
His pulse returned with such force that it felt Grace fingers still resting on the neck.
- Breathe! - shouted -. Pulse! Keep pushing!
But the truck, which had begun to drip soapy water, never moved. Heather grabbed a piece of the pole down and tried to use it as leverage to lift the rear of the vehicle. Seeing what her sister did, Jordan shouted:
- Bring it here, Heather!
The boy and the other slid the pole piece under the van and pushed with all his might. Although they battled to prevent the makeshift lever slipped on wet pavement, the vehicle rose another 30 centimeters.
McPeters Lionel, captain of the Fresno Fire Department, was among the first rescuers to come to the crash site. I knew it was worth taking the hand of untrained civilians to rescue, but soon realized that these people had just save the life of a man.
- Hold on as well - the encouragement
The boy and the other slid the pole piece under the van and pushed with all his might. Although they battled to prevent the makeshift lever slipped on wet pavement, the vehicle rose another 30 centimeters.
McPeters Lionel, captain of the Fresno Fire Department, was among the first rescuers to come to the crash site. I knew it was worth taking the hand of untrained civilians to rescue, but soon realized that these people had just save the life of a man.
- Hold on as well - the encouragement
Rescuers took 10 minutes to get Stewart. McPeters then gave the order to release the truck, which fell to the ground with a screech.
Those good Samaritans had lifted the vehicle about 45 inches, and held him so at least 20 minutes. Soon after, almost all were gone.
Jonathan Stewart suffered a torn aorta, a collapsed lung and broken more bones than a dozen, including several vertebrae and skull. However, it will always be indebted to a handful of strangers that day stopped to deliver a late Christmas gift: life.
Author:Hal Karp
Those good Samaritans had lifted the vehicle about 45 inches, and held him so at least 20 minutes. Soon after, almost all were gone.
Jonathan Stewart suffered a torn aorta, a collapsed lung and broken more bones than a dozen, including several vertebrae and skull. However, it will always be indebted to a handful of strangers that day stopped to deliver a late Christmas gift: life.
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