Tornado flung the family car into trees—9-year-old son's determination saved his parents’ lives
One can’t imagine what goes through a little one's mind after an unexpected accident takes place. The fear, the chaos and the confusion are heartbreaking. To find courage and strength to help and find a way out requires an inner resilience like no other. A 9-year-old boy named Branson went through a similar chaos when he, along with his parents, Wayne and Lindy Baker, met with a tragic accident, per CBS News. The tornado in May of last year in Oklahoma flung their car into the gigantic trees, leaving the family distraught and in pain. The little boy clung to an unfathomable courage to work his way out and save his parents.
The family was on their way to seek shelter from the tornado that took four lives and left many injured and helpless. They were on a call with Wayne’s brother, Johnny, News 9 revealed. Unfortunately, the disaster caught their vehicle before flinging it into the trees. “I heard a 'ding ding ding' like hail or rocks hitting the windshield, then a large crash and the phone went dead,” he recounted. In those horrific moments, the family didn’t know what was to happen, how badly they’d been hurt or whether all three of them had even survived. While the brother immediately left to check on the family, the trio was on their own until he arrived.
The parents were brutally injured and couldn’t get out of the car. Miraculously, Branson was able to make his way out. He might not have known it then, but he was the only person who could make a life-saving difference. To see his parents injured, the car wrecked, only branches and broken debris around, one can’t fathom how terrifying the experience was for the 9-year-old. Despite it all, he knew he had to help. He left his parents with one message — “Please don’t die, I’ll be back.” Branson got out of the car and immediately ran across the road. Despite the darkness and the unpredictable weather, he made his way to a neighbor and friend, who were able to rush back with him to the site.
Johnny also arrived on the scene and was able to take some control of the situation. He was relieved to learn that Branson was fine and that Wayne and Lindy, too, were alive. Wayne’s back, neck, sternum, ribs and arm were broken. He also suffered other injuries. Lindy suffered the worst brunt of the accident. Her back, neck, jaw, ribs and right hand were broken. She also had a punctured lung and a wound on her head. However, the family was grateful to know that the couple had a chance at recovery, thanks to their son.
"The only way he found his way back was with lightning strikes that lit the road. He ran as fast as he could, as hard as he could; he made a mile in 10 minutes. That's pretty impressive for a little kid,” Johnny remarked. A GoFundMe was set up to fund the treatment and support the family until Wayne was able to recover and get back to work. A total of $103,559 was raised to cover several costs, including surgeries and other treatments. "Branson is small, but he is so mighty, he is a hero," the GoFundMe rightly noted.
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