On Sunday around 10 AM, an eight-year-old boy was struck by a car crossing the street and was severely injured. The accident took place at the Hapikud intersection near Nazareth during rush hour. People rushed to assist the injured boy and the scene attracted a lot of attention.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Yechiel Biton was on his way to work in a health clinic a few hundred meters away when he saw the child getting hit. Yechiel stopped on the side of the road, got out of his vehicle, and rushed over to the young boy. By the time Yechiel got there, less than a minute later, the motorist had already fled the scene.
Yechiel was the first medical volunteer at the scene, but he had no equipment on him, so he had to improvise. He saw that the boy had several hematomas and abrasions on his chest and was breathing slowly. He suspected that the boy had suffered a severe chest injury and called for an Intensive Care ambulance.
The crowded area became even more chaotic after the boy’s parents had arrived and were in hysterics. The boy was crying in pain, making the situation even more difficult to manage. But Yechiel maintained an air of professionalism, which reassured the parents and the crowd that he had everything under control. They calmed down and let him treat the child.
Yechiel talked calmly to the boy and explained what was going to happen during each step of the treatment. He helped the boy with breathing exercises to allow him to breathe easier. The boy stabilized and 10 minutes later, an ambulance arrived, the team assisted Yechiel in treating the boy at the scene and then transported him to the nearest hospital for further treatment.
After the incident was over and the crowd had dispersed, Yechiel spoke about the accident: “There’s a great sense of fulfillment whenever I treat someone, but in cases where I treat a child, it’s, even more so. Having the ability to help others is a gift and this is especially true with children who become more frightened than adults in medical emergencies. I’m glad I was in the right place at the right time to help calm this boy down and treat his injuries. I feel very lucky that I was right there so I could help the boy immediately after the accident.”
