Firefighter Chris Blazek could barely catch a break on Saturday afternoon – that is, until he found some peace with an infant who appreciated his kindness.
After battling a house fire for three hours in the Tennessee heat, Blazek went back to the Chattanooga Fire Department hall and hopped in the shower. As he was cleaning up, however, he heard that his engine was being dispatched on another emergency call.
“I was literally in the shower [when] Engine 6 was dispatched to a car incident on Highway 58. The incident included the driver – a pregnant mother – and her three small children who were in the back seat,” says Blazek.
He later told the Washington Post that it was the kind of dispatch that made his “heart rate jump up a little bit.”
After throwing on his dirty clothes, he and his crew arrived on the scene of the crash and found that the mother was “hysterical” because she was suffering from extreme back and abdominal pain.
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As she was loaded into the ambulance, Blazek got permission to help the children out of the car. Two of the kids were older girls who were calm in the midst of the situation, but the third was a baby who would not stop wailing in distress.
Now, just to elaborate, Blazek is no stranger to dealing with children. In addition to being a 39-year-old father to four daughters of his own, he graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in child and family studies.
After checking over the baby to make sure she was okay, she immediately took to the firefighter and laid her head on his shoulder.
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“Shortly after that I decided that my guys had the scene under control, so I decided to sit and take a break with my new friend. She immediately fell asleep in my arms. Mom was transported and Engine 6 personnel stayed on scene with the children until they were turned over to family members.
“It’s moments like this, that I am reminded, this is why I do the job,” said Blazek.
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Fellow firefighter Kyle Vradenburgh snapped a photo of the heartwarming moment and posted it to Facebook where it was shared thousands of times. The children’s mother, Whittley Hightower, was later released from the hospital without any injuries and thanked Blazek for going above and beyond the call of duty.
“I really want to say thank you for being there for my three girls,” wrote Hightower. “It was such a scary moment for all of us. God bless you.”
Blazek responded by saying: “Mrs. Hightower it was an honor and privilege. Glad to know you and the girls are doing well.”
Share This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends – Photo by Kyle Vradenburgh