Boy Meets Hero Who Helped Rescue Him From Under Minivan
By Joel Hillan
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4)- One day after he was struck and dragged by a minivan while walking in the school crosswalk outside Skyline Vista Elementary School, 4-year-old Max Anchondo got to meet one of the heroes who rushed to save him.
Ted Chavez arrived at the boy's house with a balloon and gifts for him, as well as a feeling of relief.
The last time Chavez saw Max, the boy was being loaded into an ambulance after being hit and trapped under a van.
"His leg was pretty twisted up and he was just lying there like his head was on the pavement and the car was on top of his head," Chavez recalled.
Chavez would then take control of the scene, calling for a carjack and holding Max's hand.
"I kept saying 'You're going to be okay,' and he said 'I'm going to be okay?' and I said, 'You're going to be fine, just breathe, just breathe,'" Chavez said.
Max was rushed to Children's Hospital in Aurora with a severe burn on his left leg, but no broken bones and just a couple other scratches.
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"He's feeling better, he's a strong guy, you know?" said Max's mother, Diana Anchondo.
She tells us the burn is still painful and will keep Max out of school for a while, but he's expected to make a full recovery.
"He's really, really lucky," she said.
Chavez is a bus driver and is passionate about safety in school zones and around buses. He reiterated his plea to drivers to slow down and pay attention.
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.