Two dozen Utah high school students lifted a vehicle from a trapped mother and child after they were run over in the parking lot at the school.
Let’s jump right to the important part – mom and baby should both survive.
The incident occurred Tuesday in Layton Christian Academy’s parking lot when a driver hit Bridgette Poonson, her two children (ages 2 and 3), and her. Ponson’s daughter, aged three, was able to free herself from the car. However, her son and Ponson were pinned.
Chris Crowder, the associate pastor and head of the school, rushed into the building to recruit as many children as he could.
The group of 30 students rushed out and lifted the car together just enough to allow an airman at the Hill Air Force Base, who was nearby, to release Ponson and her child. Crowder described what happened:
“I didn’t know what was happening, but I noticed the car across the parking lot, and people were screaming. I ran over and looked under the vehicle, and saw mom and child pinned underneath the car. Crowder told KSL that it was a split second. “I ran straight into the building because I knew that I needed to have a large number of people help me lift the car.”
Watch:
Watch as students lift a car off a mother and her 2-year-old son after they were hit in the Layton Christian Academy high school parking lot. pic.twitter.com/gOYcLVN5DJ
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) December 8, 2023
Crowder:
It didn’t matter if you were a boy or a girl.
The kids all climbed into the car at once and began lifting it. The kids were told to lift the car just enough to pull them out. The kids lifted the car from one side — probably 20-30 children — by just an inch or so, enough for the Air Force man to be able to get them out.
Both the kids and the man who pulled him out were heroes.
Here you can see Crowder describe this heroic rescue effort:
Police speculate that the sun was in the woman’s eyes. According to reports, she is cooperating with the investigators. So there does not seem to have been any malicious intent.
Crowder counts his blessings
Even something so mundane can quickly turn tragic. It’s a miraculous. This is just one of many miracles we’ve seen God perform around here.
Ponson was transported by ambulance to the hospital, while the boy was flown. The good news, as I mentioned earlier, is that both should survive.
Bravo, brave airman and students who acted quickly! Let’s also praise Crowder, who assembled the team so quickly. You will always be heroes to the mother and her son, who you saved.
