followed by good medical care. They want to thank some random man who interrupted the rescue, rather than the 2nd fire department, or the people who fund it? Or the medical staff? I exclude the 1st fire dept, since their chief is an ungrateful douchebag would didn't credit the others:
The priest led a prayer for the girl and told the workers that their equipment would work and they’re going to get her out of the car and she’s going to be alright.
After working some more, the rescuers were able to cut through the metal and save the girl.
...
“I think it’s a miracle,” said Raymond Reed, the fire chief of New London, Mo. “I would say whether it was an angel that was sent to us in the form of a priest or a priest that became our angel, I don’t know. Either way, I’m good with it.”
http://kearth101.cbslocal.com/2013/08/09/poll-priest-or-an-angel-mystery-priest-shows-up-at-accident-site-then-disappears/Oh, another thing that helped her: since they were getting nowhere, they decided to risk turning the car upright:
"I was pulled off to the side by one of the members of the" helicopter evacuation team, Reed said. "He expressed to me that we were out of time. Her condition looked grim for her coming out of that vehicle alive. She was facing major problems."
At that point, Reed's team agreed to take the life-threatening chance of sitting the vehicle upright so that Lentz could be removed from it. This is dangerous because a sudden change in pressure to the body can be critical, he said.
...
Everything happened quickly after that. Twenty emergency workers pulled together and sat the car upright, Churchill Lentz said. Katie Lentz's vital signs improved and a rescue team from a neighboring community suddenly appeared with fresh equipment and tools. Lentz was removed and rushed to the hospital.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/07/angel-crash-missouri/2630227/It's shameful that national news media would stoop to talk of 'guardian angels' and 'helpers' when the real helpers hardly get a mention.
This happened in August 2013, by the way.
One good thing: the priest came forward, and he properly gave the credit to the rescuers, with, I hope, his only 'angels' remark being a metaphor for them:
I had Mass in Ewing MO as the regular priest was sick. As I was returning, I arrived at the scene. The authorities were redirecting traffic. I waited till it was possible to drive up closer. I parked behind a large vehicle about 150 yards from the scene. I asked the Sheriff's permission and approached the scene of the accident.
I absolved and anointed Katie, and, at her request, prayed that her leg would not hurt. Then I stepped aside to where some rescue personnel and the pilot were waiting, and prayed the rosary silently. I left when the helicopter was about to take off, and before I got to my car it was on its way to Quincy.
I was amazed at the calmness of the two Highway patrol men. The sergeant was completely in control, amazingly calm. Everybody worked as harmoniously as a Swiss watch despite the critical nature of the scene. I gave my name to one of the authorities, perhaps to the sergeant of Highway Patrol, explaining that I was returning having celebrated Mass at Ewing. It was the sergeant who, at the Sheriff's request, gave me Katie's name as I was leaving, so I could visit her in hospital -- I assumed she would be taken to Columbia.
I think there may have been angels there too and, in this context, I congratulate the fire team from New London and Hannibal, the Sheriff/deputies of Ralls County, the Highway Patrol personnel, the helicopter team, the nurses and all who worked so professionally. God has blessed your work. I hope the credit goes where it is due.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/13/us/missouri-mystery-priest/
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