Boy hiding in dustbin was seconds away from being crushed in a garbage truck — driver's sharp instincts rescued him
You never know how important observation can be until a seemingly insignificant detail renders life-saving for someone. Waldo Fidele, a Waste Connections sanitation worker, was at work when he noticed something unusual, per WFLA. His sharp observation and astute action thereafter helped save the life of a 7-year-old, Elias Quezada. The man is being hailed as a hero and nothing can stretch the importance of vigilance more than Fidele’s experience. The Hillsborough County Sheriff, Chad Chronister, presented a Citizen Lifesaving Award to the sanitation worker and he is well deserving of it.
Everyone is aware of garbage processing. It is collected, smashed and contracted by the trash compactor and eventually gotten rid of. Fidele picked up the trash on his route as usual. However, he had no idea that little Quezada was hiding in one of the trashcans. The boy was playing a game and decided to hide in one of the bins, which was then picked up and dumped into the vehicle along with the other garbage. His grandmother, Carmen Salazar, knew that her son went out to play but the next minute, all she heard was the trash collectors arrive and the boy was nowhere to be found, per ABC 27.
“In a minute, he went out and the next thing I hear is the sound of the truck and a guy screaming,” she remarked. It was only when the trash from his truck was being lifted and dropped into the compactor that he realized something was wrong. “I got picked up and thrown, to where I was going to be a mashed potato,” Quezada said. Fidele happened to look through the surveillance camera and found something unusual going into the compactor. “Looking on camera, I see something drop,” the sanitation worker explained. While the 7-year-old thought he was about to have his disastrous end, something happened.
Fidele didn’t ignore what he saw. He immediately shut off the blade in a matter of milliseconds and it made all the difference. He quickly called 911 before he could do anything else just in case the boy was injured. “I came outside. I saw him, he seemed happy, happy! I said you’re okay now,” he recalled. A glimpse was shared of the little boy in the corner of the trashcan, struggling to stay above and out of the compactor’s range. He was peeping out of the truck and to his luck, Fidele made the right move in time. There’s no question about the terrifying fate the boy would have met had the man not noticed this seemingly insignificant “something drop.”
His sharp observation and immediate action saved the boy’s life. Salazar is grateful to see her boy back and safe. Expressing her gratitude towards Fidele, she said, “I’m very thankful that he was looking at that camera at that time and he acted so fast because otherwise, he wouldn’t be here.” @Jamoni1 wrote, “This man's self-discipline and pride in doing his job correctly saved a life.” @antihug7942 added, “Great job by the driver for actually doing his job of paying attention and watching his truck's camera instead of his cell phone. Kudos!”