Russell says it "felt like a miracle" when bystanders lifted a tire off his ankle.
Photo Credit: CBC

Boy thanks strangers who lifted SUV off of him

A nine-year-old boy who was hit and pinned by an SUV wants to thank a group of bystanders who lifted the vehicle to free him. Afterwards Russell said it felt like a miracle when the tire lifted off his ankle.

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After being hit by a car, the SUV jumped the sidewalk pinning Russell’s ankle underneath a tire. © CBC

They must have been pretty strong”

“I saw the car moving away from me, kind of amazing… They must have been pretty strong to do that.”

The accident happened Sunday as Russell, his friend Spencer were riding their bicycles with Russell’s parents in the west coast city of Vancouver. While they were stopped at a busy intersection a car t-boned an SUV and the SUV ran up on the sidewalk pinning Russell and the boy’s bikes underneath it and knocking Spencer out of the way.

“I was too in shock”

“It was like it was coming towards me. I kind of felt like I had to jump out of the way. I tried. But then it just caught me. I did manage to escape it a little. It would have caught my leg.”

“My foot was under the tire, but I didn’t really feel it because I was too in shock.”

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Russell said the SUV would have caught his leg if he had not “manage(d) to escape…a little” © CBC

About 15 bystanders rushed forward and lifted the SUV off of Russell. He suffered a fractured ankle, cuts, bruises and a black eye. Spencer was unhurt. The driver of the SUV was injured but is believed to be in stable condition.

The driver of the other vehicle had fled the scene, an illegal act in Canada. She was later a apprehended by police and an investigation is ongoing.

Russell and his momtell their story to the public broadcaster, CBC.

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