Composed 9-year-old rescues sister, cousins from car wreck
Published: November 21, 2006
Working with a level of composure well beyond his years, a 9-year-old boy pulled his sister and two cousins from a car wreck Saturday evening along Route 288. [Raising Kids Who Can Protect Themselves]
Clayton Campbell of New Castle methodically rescued the children from the accident, his grandfather Myron Dellinger said.
“He’s like that,” Dellinger said. “He’s very cool and very calm until it’s over.”
The accident took place around 7 p.m. Saturday, when Tina Marie Miller, 16, of 728 Oswald St., Wayne Township, was driving east on Route 288 (Wampum Road). Her car crossed the center line a half-mile east of Jockey Moore Road, into the path of a car driven by Kelly Allen, 29, of 1711 Delaware Ave., New Castle, who is Clayton’s mother and Dellinger’s daughter.
After the collision, Miller’s car came to rest in the middle of the road and Allen’s car stopped on the northern side of Route 288.
After climbing out of the car himself, Clayton - who had a minor leg injury in the accident, according to state police - first got Derick McQuiston, his 9-year-old cousin, from the car.
Then, Dellinger said Clayton helped Camellia McQuiston, 4, from a car seat and left her with Derick, her brother. Finally, Clayton reached his sister, Lucille Allen, 2, and unbuckled her car seat and handed her to a paramedic.
Clayton then went back into the car to turn off the ignition, which might have helped prevent a fire. He then tried unsuccessfully to free his mother. [Rescues! (True Stories from the Edge)]
“He was upset because he couldn’t get his mother out of the vehicle,” Dellinger said.
Kelly Allen was cut free from the wrecked car by firefighters and was taken by medical helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh.
Allen had surgery Monday for an ankle injury and had a broken rib, according to Dellinger, who said Derick McQuiston had a minor thumb injury, Lucille Allen had facial bruises and cuts, and Camellia McQuiston had a broken hip.
Clayton and the McQuistons were treated at Ellwood City Hospital and released, according to hospital staff. After Camellia McQuiston’s hip injury became apparent, she was taken to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Dellinger said.
Lucille Allen was transferred to Children’s Hospital, where personnel said she and Camellia McQuiston were discharged.
Dellinger said his grandson has been uncomfortable with the attention his heroics have attracted. Campbell initially didn’t want to do a television interview, which aired Sunday night, Dellinger said, but changed his mind.
Dellinger, who said things turned out better than he expected when he first saw the wrecked cars, said his grandson deserved credit for his quick thinking.
“I know I couldn’t have done that when I was 9 years old,” Dellinger said.
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