California Firefighter Comforts Young Girl After Crash in Touching Viral Moment
Note: This story originally made headlines in August 2017 and is being republished to honor a moment of quiet heroism.
A California firefighter was hailed for his compassion after being captured on camera comforting a young girl at the scene of a serious car accident near San Diego.
According to KNSD, a big rig veered into oncoming traffic on a local highway, slamming into multiple vehicles. One of those cars carried a mother, her two young daughters—ages 4 and 6—and another adult family member.
As emergency crews worked to treat the mother and her 6-year-old daughter, who suffered a broken neck and had trouble breathing, firefighter-paramedic Ryan Lopez of Heartland Fire & Rescue turned his attention to the uninjured 4-year-old girl.
A news crew caught the heartwarming moment on camera: Lopez gently held the girl in his arms, rocking her side to side to comfort her. After a short while, he walked her over to the fire truck, gave her some water, and then held her again as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Lopez, a father himself, later told KNSD that the little girl “just wanted to hang on and feel safe.”
While the 4-year-old and her mother sustained only minor injuries, the older daughter was rushed to a nearby children’s hospital due to the severity of her condition. Her mother was able to accompany her in the ambulance.
The scene left a lasting impression on many who saw the video online. Comments flooded Newsiosity’s Facebook page, praising the firefighter’s compassion.
“Praying all will be ok,” one commenter wrote. “God bless the fireman for his kindness. God bless all.”
Another added, “He said it was just a normal reaction because he’s a dad. That’s being humble on top of being a hero.”
Despite the outpouring of praise, Lopez said he didn’t do anything extraordinary.
“It’s not something I would ever seek out to take any recognition for,” he said. “I know someone else in my same position would’ve done the same thing.”
