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Football players save toddler trapped in hot car

Josh

Lifer
...And so it was last week when two griffons flexed their muscles to save a baby trapped inside a hot car. Of course, we are talking about Jack Long and Shane Simpson, defensive backs for the Missouri Western Griffons.

The two were driving away from football practice on Aug. 23 when they saw a woman frantically beating on the window of a car. They decided to turn around and see if they could help.

"We thought she maybe had locked her keys in the car, but then thought that was kind of an extreme thing to do for keys," said Long.

When they stopped, Teresa Gall told them she had accidentally locked her 17-month-old grandson, Liam, in the car — with the keys. It was 95 degrees that day so heat stroke was a major concern.

"I was panicked and horrified," Gall told KSHB-TV. "He was crying and getting sick, and I couldn't get to him."

She and other family members weren't able to break the window while Liam was throwing up and beginning to lose consciousness.

No problem for the 6-foot, 190-pound Simpson, who broke the window with one hammer swing. Liam was rescued from the car. He was dehydrated but otherwise fine.

The players quietly went on their way but returned to check on the toddler and his grandmother.

"They knew about heat stroke and they were worried about the little guy," Gall told Griffon Sports Insider. (See video above).

Gall offered the players money but they declined. They invited Gall to the Griffons' opening game on Sept. 1. Gall, who said she knows nothing about football, brought Liam to practice two days before the game and then she and several family members cheered for Missouri Western at the game.

"I can't imagine life without my grandson and what could have happened," Gall said. "I am eternally grateful to them."

Video of players on the page:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31751_162-20102608-10391697.html


Thumbs up for them helping out!
 
Yes, but when then the football player spun the child on the ground, squatted close to the spinning child and pretended he was warming his hands on an open fire.
 
I'm glad it wasnt one of those negligence cases where the parent/guardian walks away.

Why did it take a footballer to break the window? I didnt think car windows were that tough.
 
She and other family members weren't able to break the window while Liam was throwing up and beginning to lose consciousness.

There's something weird about this story. If the child was that bad off, you would think he was inside the car for a substantial period of time, yet one would assume the mother realized immediately that she had locked him in. How long had he been trapped? I think the cops would respond faster than that to a 911 call (assuming they were smart enough to make one).

EDIT: See post below for correction.
 
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There's something weird about this story. If the child was that bad off, you would think he was inside the car for a substantial period of time, yet one would assume the mother realized immediately that she had locked him in. How long had he been trapped? I think the cops would respond faster than that to a 911 call (assuming they were smart enough to make one).

A hot august day trapped in a car with no air for a toddler...I'm guessing it can start to become sick pretty damn fast.
 
A hot august day trapped in a car with no air for a toddler...I'm guessing it can start to become sick pretty damn fast.

I just watched the video, I think I understand a bit better now. It sounds like the car had been sitting there for a while and was already hot when the put the kid in. That makes more sense, for some reason I was assuming she was getting out instead of returning to the car.

Anyway, kudos to the players for providing assistance.
 
Awesome, nice to see people doing good acts like this.

But how can anyone, even a woman, not be able to break a window? Any hard object would have done. A rock for instance.
 
Awesome, nice to see people doing good acts like this.

But how can anyone, even a woman, not be able to break a window? Any hard object would have done. A rock for instance.

there have been a few other stories like this. seems side windows are a lot harder to break then people think.

there was another one in the same situation (a video i too) a women locked her kid in the car. she was trying to open it. some skaters came by and they tried with the skateboards. FINALLY a big guy picked up a pole and was able to smash it.
 
When you want to break the window, take your keys and put it perpendicular to the window and push really hard.

Oh wait.........
 
there have been a few other stories like this. seems side windows are a lot harder to break then people think.

there was another one in the same situation (a video i too) a women locked her kid in the car. she was trying to open it. some skaters came by and they tried with the skateboards. FINALLY a big guy picked up a pole and was able to smash it.

Yeah true, I've never broken one myself, so guess it may be harder than it looks. That concave shape makes it a bit stronger, and the glass itself is typically stronger than say, a house window.
 
It's very difficult to break a side car window if you don't have the right tool or a reasonable facsimile.

We've all seen videos of cops trying unsuccessfully to break a car window, even with an asp.

When you use the right tool, the window will break easily.
 
It's very difficult to break a side car window if you don't have the right tool or a reasonable facsimile.

We've all seen videos of cops trying unsuccessfully to break a car window, even with an asp.

When you use the right tool, the window will break easily.

yeah

When i had my kids car seats put in by the sheriffs office (every now and then they have setups in walmarts parking lot. they will make sure its safe and secure) he asked if i had one. he recommended getting a tool that cuts the seat belt and is designed to smash the window.

so something like this? would be good.
 
I'm glad it wasnt one of those negligence cases where the parent/guardian walks away.

Why did it take a footballer to break the window? I didnt think car windows were that tough.

They are actually. In order to easily break one you need something that can put the force in a small area. Thus why all the window breaking tools have a small metal point, and why the footballer was able to break it with a hammer.
 
yeah

When i had my kids car seats put in by the sheriffs office (every now and then they have setups in walmarts parking lot. they will make sure its safe and secure) he asked if i had one. he recommended getting a tool that cuts the seat belt and is designed to smash the window.

so something like this? would be good.

yeah, I have one that is similar to that in my driver's side door cubby.
 
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