This browser does not support the Video element.
Young boy gets stuck while trying to rescue ring
The fire chief told FOX 2 that the boy was attempting to reach the ring under the bleachers with his leg, and that's when he got stuck. He said the initial call was scary, thinking it was worse than it turned out to be.
(FOX 2) - A simple act of kindness took a sharp turn in New Baltimore when an 11-year-old boy became trapped, his leg stuck in the bleachers at the Anchor Bay Aquatic Center.
The boy was trying to retrieve a ring that a young girl had dropped before leaving the aquatic center.
The backstory:
The fire chief told FOX 2 that the boy was attempting to reach the ring under the bleachers with his leg, and that's when he got stuck. He said the initial call was scary, thinking it was worse than it turned out to be.
Four firefighters responded, each trying everything they could think of to get the boy out, but it put too much pressure on his leg, which was quite painful.
They ended up cutting out an entire section of the bleachers to free him.
The fire chief was proud of his team's "by any means necessary" approach and also commended the aquatic staff for calling 911.
"It was just a kid with a big heart. He wanted to get that ring back to her," said New Baltimore Fire Department Chief Jeff Stellman. "The staff tried for about 15 minutes and realized they weren’t getting him out. Everything they did or tried started hurting him more, and they didn’t know what to do, so they called us, and we had to cut it, dismantle it to get him out."
What they're saying:
One of the female firefighters who was there said it was a big relief, and everyone was happy the little boy walked off with no injuries.
"I feel bad for the kid; you could tell he was scared. We told him he was doing a great job, just tried to reassure him," said firefighter Emily Martin. "We tried to get his mind off of what we were doing, just to distract him from what was going on. He took it like a champ; he was really brave through all of it. I told him that he should have a girl bring him ice cream or something. He went through a lot, so I thought he deserved a little something out of it."
FOX 2 was told this was definitely the most unusual call the New Baltimore fire crew has received in a while.
The boy still insisted on giving the girl her ring back himself. Rumors of a small crush are going around, but nonetheless, it was a truly selfless act.