Toddler who survives 3-story fall 'might be the luckiest kid in the world'

18-month-old Jeremiah Holt managed to survive a 25-foot fall from a window in his family's South Austin neighborhood home.

Joanne Stanley has only one explanation for how 18-month-old Jeremiah Holt managed to survive a fall from a third-floor window in his family's South Austin neighborhood home.

"It's like God had an angel over him," Stanley, a neighbor of Jeremiah's family, said outside the boy's apartment building in the 5400 block of West Augusta Boulevard.

Sometime Wednesday morning, as other family members slept, Jeremiah tumbled from the window onto a patch of rain-muddied grass, bordered by a concrete walk and just a few inches from a gray concrete brick.

"This kid might be the luckiest kid in the world," said Marcel Bright, a spokesman for Stroger Hospital, where Jeremiah was taken after his fall. Early tests indicated the boy didn't break any bones or suffer any other of the injuries that might be expected from a fall of more than 25 feet.

"He's moving around like an 18-month-old kid," Bright said.

The boy was being kept for observation overnight, but could be released as early as Thursday, Bright said.

Outside Jeremiah's building, his pacifier still lay in the mud along with several mangled slats from the blinds that broke off and came down with him.

Neighbors who gathered at the scene couldn't help but think about what might have happened had the boy not hit the muddy patch of grass.

"He's blessed," said Gaberiel Valentine.

Valentine found Jeremiah face down outside the apartment building about 11 a.m. Wednesday. The boy was conscious, but moaning and sprawled at an awkward angle, she said.

At the same time inside Jeremiah's apartment, his family was panicking after discovering the child was missing.

Having slept in late on his day off, the boy's stepgrandfather woke the entire household when he found that the child was not beside him, said Preeterraneika Lewis, the boy's aunt.

Lucky Clover Found On UK Impaled Crash Survivor

Medics found a four-leaf clover stuck to the back of a young driver who survived a crash in Northumberland which left him speared through the chest by a fence post, it has been revealed.

Raymond Curry, 20, was on his way to work when his Vauxhall Corsa overturned and rolled through a fence into a field near his home in Cramlington on June 13.

He was flown to hospital still impaled by the piece of wood, which by chance had missed all his vital organs. Two other posts had pierced his wrecked hatchback, but missed him by inches.

An air freshener inside the car somehow ended up inside his wounds, and was later removed. It was at hospital that the lucky clover leaf was found on his back.

Mr Curry was recovering at home after having surgery to remove the stake, and earlier told the Evening Chronicle newspaper after the crash that he felt incredible pain and believed he was going to die. "I know how lucky I am to be alive," he told the newspaper. "I'd never even seen a four-leaf clover until this happened, so it was good timing, I suppose."

Paramedic Jane Peacock, from the Great North Air Ambulance, was one of the team who treated Mr Curry, who was driving to work at Argos in Alnwick, Northumberland. She said: "By God, he is a very lucky lad. It gave me a good chuckle when I heard afterwards about the four-leaf clover.

"On the scene he was stable but you do not know what is happening internally. I am delighted he has done so well. He was such a nice young lad. I'm chuffed to bits he was fine and there was nothing massively serious underlying once he was operated on."

She said some of the post was cut away by a fire crew so he could fit in the helicopter. "The fence post had impaled him. He was absolutely remarkable as he was fully conscious. My heart went out to his parents it must have been quite scary to see him like that."

The paramedic said he even remembered to thank her when he was dropped off at hospital in Newcastle. "I don't think I would have been that polite," she said.

Teen Rescued in flood waters

The torrential downpour shattered an 80 year old OK city record. It was more than double the normal amount the city receives in the entire month of June.

Dawson told CNN's "American Morning" that she helped the woman get to a line of trees and then set off -- swimming -- to find help.

Then Dawson got into trouble herself, surrounded by the rapidly rising, dangerously fast-moving water. The woman she had helped was rescued, but Dawson disappeared amid the muddy water and thick trees, and rescuers launched a frantic search for her.

Dawson told reporters, "I started shaking really bad while I was swimming and I thought I was to pass out and I thought I was going to die."

The first group of rescuers to reach her tipped over their boat and were stranded alongside Dawson.

Minutes later, a second boat came along, taking Dawson and the other three men to safety.

When her first rescue boat sunk, Dawson said she remembers thinking, "'Wow, this is just my luck.' I kind of -- first I kind of thought I sunk it, but I didn't. It was the current."

Dawson said there are parts of the event that she can't recall now.

"I remember a lot of it, but there are parts that I don't even remember happening," she said. "Like I didn't remember going underneath the water. And I did."

As for next time, Dawson said she's not likely to jump in again.

2 years old, 3 bullets

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100613/NEWS01/106130002/1008/NEWS01/Erica+Hughes+|+A+Louisville+miracle+meets+her+rescuers

Just 27 days ago, police detectives Rich Wilson and Thomas Barth carried a bleeding 2-year-old Erica Hughes from the Wilson Avenue home where her mother lay dead.

Erica had been shot three times, with one bullet entering her head and leaving through her cheek. Another entered her shoulder, and the third her leg.

She was so badly wounded that two other police officers quickly put Erica in the back seat of their cruiser, tended by two firefighter EMTs, and sped down Broadway to the hospital while other officers blocked traffic.

Just 27 days ago, police detectives Rich Wilson and Thomas Barth carried a bleeding 2-year-old Erica Hughes from the Wilson Avenue home where her mother lay dead.

Erica had been shot three times, with one bullet entering her head and leaving through her cheek. Another entered her shoulder, and the third her leg.

She was so badly wounded that two other police officers quickly put Erica in the back seat of their cruiser, tended by two firefighter EMTs, and sped down Broadway to the hospital while other officers blocked traffic.

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• Erica Hughes | Louisville woman killed, tot hurt in shooting
• Erica Hughes | Louisville officers recall ride that may have saved toddler's life

Yesterday, the much-healed toddler showed the two detectives her lollipop ring — and wouldn't share it. She was released from Frazier Rehab Institute early yesterday, and the detectives and firefighters who helped save her life met her before she went before TV cameras yesterday evening.

The rescuers marveled at Erica's recovery, which has left her dancing to the tunes she sings and reaching for toys and candy. "I want to go bye-bye," she said.

"It's a miracle," said Sgt. Chad Greathouse with Louisville Fire & Rescue. "I'm thrilled to see her like this." He and firefighter Benjamin Vardeman were the EMTs who held Erica in the back seat of the speeding police car.

It's a memory the firefighters, both fathers, say will stay with them forever.

"With outcomes like this, that's what it's all about," said Wilson, one of the detectives.

"Twenty-seven days ago, there's just no way. Only by God," said Officer Steven Kelsey, who along with his partner, Officer Larry Riley, drove Erica to the hospital.

Erica's mother, Earon Harper, 42, was killed in the May 18 shooting at 1784 Wilson Ave. Louisville Metro Police continue to look for suspects, and no arrests have been made.

Since the shooting, Erica has had surgery and treatment at Kosair Children's Hospital, then went to Frazier.

Her grandparents, Harold and Judith Harper, who have been awarded temporary custody of her, couldn't thank the officers enough for what they had done. The Harpers credit the quick thinking of those rescue workers with saving Erica's life.

The road to recovery isn't over.

Erica has lost sight in her right eye completely. She now wears small, wire-rimmed glasses and will make regular visits to the hospital for more speech and physical therapy.

Still, her grandparents say, she's shown amazing progress.

They said she spent her first day home running around, dancing and playing.

The Harpers also will care for Erica's infant sister, Ebreona.

The girls' father, Nathanial Hughes, had asked for custody and plans to remain a part of his daughter's recovery.

Earon Harper had two other children, 13-year-old Eric Anthony and 17-year-old Ebony Harper. The Harpers are seeking custody of Ebony. Eric will stay with his father.

Judith and Harold Harper say their home got much more active with Erica's return. But they wouldn't have it any other way.

"We're just thrilled to death to get her home," Harold Harper said.

Driver was wearing his seatbelt at time of crash

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) - News 4 is learning more about a 17 year old's brush with death this weekend when his SUV dove over a cliff in Hamburg.

Officials told News 4 that Michael Davison was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Police say the teen was not texting, or on his phone. They also say drugs and alcohol were not a factor.

Officials say, 17-year-old Michael Davison swerved to avoid hitting an animal before he plummeted off a steep cliff into a creek. It happened early Sunday morning, on Lakeview Road in Hamburg. Emergency responders say the boy was sitting on the roof of his white Land Rover SUV when they arrived.

The rescue took several hours. Many tools were used to lift the boy up safely. Officials and residents living nearby are shocked he walked away with only minor injuries.

"It's about a 90 foot drop, a pretty treacherous cliff, has a lot of trees on it a lot of brush," said David O'Brien, Village of Hamburg Fire Chief. "No bad injuries actually, the car hit straight down and what happened is the airbags actually saved him and ejected him out of the car."

"It's amazing that someone lived through that and that's what I hear that the kids fine and that's amazing, its a miracle," said a resident.

Police told News 4 this was the first time an accident like this happened. Some neighbors say the road can be very dangerous.