LOGAN, Utah (Isabelle Zehnder reporting) -- Chris Willden, who has coordinated searches for missing West Valley City, Utah mom, Susan Cox Powell, performed a heroic act over the New Year’s Day weekend when he helped rescue three children who were trapped in a car that had plunged down a 10-foot embankment and flipped over.
Willden and his father were among ten people who jumped into the icy Logan River and helped turn the Honda upright.
The driver, Roger Anderson, 46, of Logan, lost control as he tried to brake while heading northbound on U.S. 89 during slick conditions. His 9-year-old daughter, 4-year-old son, and a second 9-year-old girl were trapped inside.
“He was panicked, doing everything he could to get in through the doors, but they wouldn’t budge,” Willden said.
Willden, a Department of Defense contractor with a background in law enforcement, shot out one window with his Glock handgun after trying unsuccessfully to open the windows and doors. He then reached upward searching for arms and legs but felt nothing.
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘You’re going to see some dead kids, get ready’,” Willden said. “I’ve got three of my own and it was going to be an awful start to the New Year.”
He then turned and saw six other men coming down the bank into the water. Together the men were able to push up on the vehicle so they could see in the windows.
One of the girls had found an air pocket and was breathing fine but was trapped in her seat belt. Willden cut it with a folding pocket knife and pulled her from the rear passenger window.
He said the other two children were lifeless, the boy upside down in his car seat and the second girl floating in the front passenger compartment.
The boy was cut out of his car seat and pulled out with the other girl. “I didn’t think they were going to be around for the New Year,” Willden said.
Buzzy Mullahkel of North Logan told the Deseret News that the boy wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse but was revived when another passer-by quickly performed CPR.
“He took him from there and I just tried to get out of the way,” said Mullahkel, a father of a 4-year-old himself. “Emotions started taking over when he started to breathe. Everyone started to cheer. Lots of tears and clapping.”
Willden was wrapping his arms that were bleeding from the broken glass when he heard cheers up the road. “That was awesome,” he said. “I knew that’s where the little boy was.”
The boy and his sister were flown by air ambulance to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City.
Hospital spokeswoman Bonnie Midget said Sunday that both children are doing well after spending the night in intensive care. They were both taken out of intensive care Sunday but were still hospitalized. They were listed in fair condition as they recovered from hypothermia and were released Monday.
The father and second girl escaped injury, authorities said.
“These people who were at the scene,” Anderson said, “Without hesitation, they just did what they had to do. And that, for our family, made all the difference.”
Asked why he thought so many people stopped to help Willden said on the Today Show, “I honestly can’t say why people did what they did. People came out of the woodwork.”
It was truly an act of human kindness to see a group of men head into freezing cold waters, risking their own safety, to help their fellow human being.
Reflecting on who was there that day – Willden and his father, both with law enforcement backgrounds, someone with CPR experience, and a group of others all willing to risk their lives – is testimony that there are still truly selfless, caring people in the world.
The children’s families said they know that if in that moment in time, those people hadn’t stopped to help their children, the outcome would have been so tragic.
In response to an email praising Willden for the role he played in the rescue of the children, he said, “I have to say that I was one of many.” It was an expected response from Willden who so often takes time out of his busy schedule to help others, including those still looking for Susan Cox Powell.
When asked how he felt after things settled down, Willden said, “I’m just glad the kids are OK and that they were released yesterday. I was happy to receive a phone call from one of the parents on Monday.”
Chris’ father, Bruce Willden, said his son is always prepared and never leaves home without a firearm, knife, and flashlight.
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