- Joined
- Feb 7, 2000
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- 6,676
After reading the following story (posted over in the general forum), it occurred to me that maybe the folks at Buck should track down
Larry Johnson Jr., of Oceanside, Calif; Edward Maxwell Mackeil, of Vista, Calif.; and Officer Kevin Thomas of the California Highway Patrol; and Paula Mahan, of Carlsbad, Calif.; and present them with Buck pocketknives. It'd be a nice gesture and could generate mucho positive pr value for Buck and for knives in general. What do you think Joe? CJ?
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Rescuers free choking boy from seat belt
JO MORELAND
Staff Writer
OCEANSIDE ---- Two men who freed a choking Carlsbad boy from a seat belt he accidentally tangled around his neck said Wednesday that they were desperate to help the child.
They were able to rescue 8-year-old Daniel Mahan, but a spokeswoman reported he was in serious condition Wednesday at Children's Hospital in San Diego.
"It shook me up, because I have a son, 6 years old," said rescuer Larry Johnson Jr., 29, of Oceanside. "I thought, 'I can't let this kid die.' "
Johnson and Edward Maxwell Mackeil, 28, of Vista, and Officer Kevin Thomas of the California Highway Patrol had to work quickly Tuesday night on the shoulder of Highway 78 at south Interstate 5 to save Daniel.
Daniel and his 11-year-old brother were wearing their seat belts properly seat when they first got into the back seat of their mother's Lexus sedan, said highway patrol spokesman Tom Kerns.
Daniel began playing with the seat belt as his mother, Paula Mahan, 54, of Carlsbad, was driving, Kerns said. Somehow the boy wrapped the belt's shoulder strap completely around his neck and the belt retractor locked.
Alerted by her older son, Kerns said Mahan pulled over shortly before 8 p.m., but she couldn't free her choking child.
Johnson was driving by with his 10-year-old daughter when he saw Mahan waving frantically for help.
"She was screaming that her son was choking, dying," Johnson said.
They couldn't find anything to cut the seat belt away, he said. As Mackeil drove by he saw and heard Mahan screaming for help and waving her arms. He stopped as Mahan and Johnson rushed up to him to ask him if he had a knife.
Mackeil didn't, but he had a cell phone and called 911. He looked at Daniel, unconscious with the belt around his neck.
"His body was all contorted," said Mackeil. "There was blood on the back seat."
The two men started digging through the trunk of the Lexus, trying to find anything that would cut the belt. The car came equipped with a kit that held a small pair of scissors, the rescuers said.
Johnson cut the belt, Mackeil said, and Daniel started breathing. Highway patrol Officer Kevin Thomas arrived and cleared the boy's airway. A Mercy Air helicopter flew Daniel to the hospital.
"It was very difficult for me, because I have a young son, too," Thomas said.
Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 901-4085 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.
12/13/01
Larry Johnson Jr., of Oceanside, Calif; Edward Maxwell Mackeil, of Vista, Calif.; and Officer Kevin Thomas of the California Highway Patrol; and Paula Mahan, of Carlsbad, Calif.; and present them with Buck pocketknives. It'd be a nice gesture and could generate mucho positive pr value for Buck and for knives in general. What do you think Joe? CJ?
===========================
Rescuers free choking boy from seat belt
JO MORELAND
Staff Writer
OCEANSIDE ---- Two men who freed a choking Carlsbad boy from a seat belt he accidentally tangled around his neck said Wednesday that they were desperate to help the child.
They were able to rescue 8-year-old Daniel Mahan, but a spokeswoman reported he was in serious condition Wednesday at Children's Hospital in San Diego.
"It shook me up, because I have a son, 6 years old," said rescuer Larry Johnson Jr., 29, of Oceanside. "I thought, 'I can't let this kid die.' "
Johnson and Edward Maxwell Mackeil, 28, of Vista, and Officer Kevin Thomas of the California Highway Patrol had to work quickly Tuesday night on the shoulder of Highway 78 at south Interstate 5 to save Daniel.
Daniel and his 11-year-old brother were wearing their seat belts properly seat when they first got into the back seat of their mother's Lexus sedan, said highway patrol spokesman Tom Kerns.
Daniel began playing with the seat belt as his mother, Paula Mahan, 54, of Carlsbad, was driving, Kerns said. Somehow the boy wrapped the belt's shoulder strap completely around his neck and the belt retractor locked.
Alerted by her older son, Kerns said Mahan pulled over shortly before 8 p.m., but she couldn't free her choking child.
Johnson was driving by with his 10-year-old daughter when he saw Mahan waving frantically for help.
"She was screaming that her son was choking, dying," Johnson said.
They couldn't find anything to cut the seat belt away, he said. As Mackeil drove by he saw and heard Mahan screaming for help and waving her arms. He stopped as Mahan and Johnson rushed up to him to ask him if he had a knife.
Mackeil didn't, but he had a cell phone and called 911. He looked at Daniel, unconscious with the belt around his neck.
"His body was all contorted," said Mackeil. "There was blood on the back seat."
The two men started digging through the trunk of the Lexus, trying to find anything that would cut the belt. The car came equipped with a kit that held a small pair of scissors, the rescuers said.
Johnson cut the belt, Mackeil said, and Daniel started breathing. Highway patrol Officer Kevin Thomas arrived and cleared the boy's airway. A Mercy Air helicopter flew Daniel to the hospital.
"It was very difficult for me, because I have a young son, too," Thomas said.
Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 901-4085 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.
12/13/01
