Father shields baby from careening car

We love a hero, but in our time reporting on worldwide acts of heroism, few reach the level achieved by Andrew Leitch. The Aussie father was captured on CCTV clinging desperately to his son Haydn after taking the full impact of car smashing into him and a shop front. Amazingly, the baby escaped without a scratch, but Mr. Leitch's elderly parents were tossed across the foyer. Despite a long period in a critical condition in hospital, both have now recovered. The shocking sequence was captured on a security camera near Sydney, Australia. The 82-year-old driver had a heart attack and careened her car at almost 45 mph into the Leitch family.

Caution viewing this you may find it disturbing.



Link

[edit on 13-5-2010 by Raustin]

Sempers post More Children Getting Free Food inspired me to find some more good news to share. I thought this was a great video and it is so fortunate that the child came out of this ordeal unharmed.

That is the power of love.

After sifting through various threads about questionable parenting (smoking toddler, dad branding kids). It's refreshing to see a father doing what a father should and protecting his child the best he can.

I don't see a hero I just see someone trying to shield himself and being pinned against a window the fact the baby is ok is sheer luck. If I see a car coming at me I would try and turn away and get out of the way from it as well.

Did I see that correctly? Basically a car crashed into him and he basically was pushed into the window, with the window shattering but he wasn't knocked over? If so that was quite amazing and a good story to hear that the toddler wasn't harmed and the elderly recovered

Fathers and men have always been the protector.Since the dawn of time men have done this exact same thing for there mates and children. its the male condition.

Women should appreciate us more.

Ok, this is a touching video, but that doesn't make this man a hero. In such circumstances, you haven't got the time to think. Anyone would have clung to a baby this way. Come on, even if this man was the worst parent in the country, what would you expect him to do? Throw the kid under the car's wheels?

reply to post by Breizhoo


I don't really think of the father as a hero. I think it's amazing the baby survived, that everyone did actually.

That was an intense video. That could have ended badly.

I have saved someone's life before. Once you do that, you will have a lifelong connection with the person you saved. It's intense.

only [*SNIP*] try to cover up their own lives by saying that the 'MAN wasnt a hero'.......ive been in a situation before(not with cars but with raging dog) but i couldt be like him...i covered myself up behind my friend.......come on people...u got to respect a hero when u see one....egoism apart



Mod Note: Offensive/Explicit name calling removed.

[edit on 5/13/2010 by AshleyD]

dang that shiznitz was crazy. I personally wouldn't call him a hero, now if the baby were playing on the ground and he came diving in to grab said baby that would be another thing. From the looks of it there wasn't much time to do anything but turn away from the car. Either way good job in not getting himself or baby killed, although a lot of that could have been luck.

wow that just gave me the old tingles up the spine feeling


what an amazing event.

instinctive love over self preservation

Thats really amazing that he held on and the little baby didn't get hurt at all, especially since he was slammed into a plate glass window.

Here's another good news story about stuff like this. It happened in my neighbourhood and it was my downstairs neighbour and his brother in law that did it. They saved a baby that fell out of a third storey window. This happened last June.

telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com...

SAINT JOHN - The city is looking at ways to honour two heroes who saved the life of a two-year-boy in the north end Saturday.

Just before 10 p.m. on Saturday, the quick actions of James Blagden and his brother-in-law, Brain Norwood, saved the life of the toddler.

Seeing a child crawling out the window of a home on Victoria Street, the pair ran a block to make the rescue. While Norwood ran to the apartment yelling trying to alert those in the apartment and get to the child before he fell, Norwood stood below and made a superhuman catch. The little boy bounced off his arm and then he snatched the toddler out of midair by the ankles. The child survived the incident without a scratch.

I think he did a heroic act - he was possibly in shock straight after this happened, and he kept his wits about him - his parents (did you see them fly in front of the bonnet of the car?-ouch!!) are lying injured on the footpath - he checks the baby (and the baby looks as if he is screaming his liddle lungs out) ... what a freak accident, Im glad everyone was OK (though I dont know if the driver died after his heart attack) ...

definition of a hero:
dictionary.reference.com...

a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

Yeah, he's a hero

[edit on 13/5/10 by Smiggle]

wow, that is truly amazing! the power of parents...never ceases to boggle my mind! I cant believe the father survived that head on crash. The baby looked like it's head was gonna fall off after it started crying though. That man is truly lucky to have karma on his side that day.

good job daddy! I agree however he was doing what he could, not really a hero just being extraordinary.

I agree with the comment about how men are protectors. I always watch out for my friends and family, they think I am overly aware or on edge, but I have also survived getting hit as a pedestrian by a high speed accident/vehicle(80 hm/hr), reacting quickly to avoid being killed, did the tuck and roll and bounced off a few cars. Some people just have the gut instincts of survival.

That dude is made of some tough stuff ! did you see the side of the bonnet and wheel arch crumple up around him? How the hell did he not get a broken spine?
God damned space marine in disguise !
Well done to him !

The negativity here absolutely slays me. He's not a hero? No, he's a hero, he saved his child's life. He could have just as easily dropped the kid and dove away saving his own ass, but instead, he hung on, took whatever impact that was about to happen and shielded the baby from whatever potential harm could have came from that situation.

This man could have easily died getting hit or pinned against the wall and the fact that he put his child in front of his own safety makes him a hero.

You people are seriously disgusting who claim you "don't see a hero" or anything to that extent. You see someone trying to not get pinned against the glass? Well I see a father who was willing to die for his child's safety and THAT makes him a hero.

These are the kinds situations that show what people will do (by instinct or decision) for those they love. Just your average guy or gal who does something extraordinary when faced with an extraordinary situation. What a lucky baby to have a daddy like this - Everyone should have that.



[edit on 13-5-2010 by LadySkadi]