Christian Students Do The Impossible For Mother And Children
A group of nearly twenty students from Layton Christian Academy, alongside an airman from Hill Air Force Base, exhibited remarkable heroism by collectively lifting a car in the school’s parking lot. Their swift action rescued a mother and her two young children who were trapped beneath the vehicle following a collision with another car.
Chris Crowder, the school’s associate pastor and CEO, described the incident as nothing short of miraculous, mentioning, “The car went over all three (of them).” The accident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on a Tuesday when Bridgette Ponson, an employee of the school, was walking with her 2-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, and they were struck by a car moving in the parking lot.
Initially unaware of the gravity of the situation, Crowder quickly assessed the scene and realized urgent assistance was necessary. “I looked across the parking lot and noticed the car… and they were screaming, so I ran over there,” he recounted. “In a split second, I rushed into the building, knowing I needed many people to lift this car.”
Prompted by Crowder’s call for help, a multitude of students, totaling over 500 from diverse backgrounds, responded with incredible determination. “All these kids from different countries just come running out and lift it [the car] up,” Crowder recalled.
According to authorities, the vehicle involved was moving at a slow pace, with speculation that the driver might have been blinded by the sun. Surveillance footage from the school captured the intense moments as students rushed to aid the trapped individuals.
Recalling the urgency of the situation, students like Theophious Roach and Junior Saripsat emphasized the weight and emotional intensity. “The car was heavy… the moment I heard the kids crying, I was like, ‘Oh, thank God, the kids are okay,'” shared Saripsat.
Senior Airman Dominique Childress, present at the scene while picking up his children, responded swiftly upon learning of the incident. Together with a student, Childress successfully extricated the younger child, who was unconscious but breathing, from beneath the car.
While Ponson’s children were discharged from the hospital without any broken bones, she underwent multiple surgeries post-accident. To assist with her medical expenses, a GoFundMe campaign has been initiated.
Childress praised the Layton Christian Academy students, commending their bravery and stating, “They are the true embodiment of heroes… what they did was incredibly challenging for teenagers.” Despite his military background, he acknowledged the students’ remarkable courage and immediate response in aiding the rescue effort.