‘He’s an angel’ | Family meets bishop who helped save mother, son from burning vehicle
BALTIMORE, Md. (DC News Now) — There was an emotional reunion outside of Johns Hopkins Hospital Thursday. The family of two people who were pulled from a burning vehicle last week met the man who helped save them.
“Thank you so much. Thank you for everything you have done to assist my family so they can live. Thank you so much,” said Brenda Roberts Nesbitt, whose daughter and grandson were in the vehicle.
According to Roberts Nesbitt, her daughter Scheracon Roberts Brown was driving a dump truck for work with her 5-year-old son Aarihimis Brown in tow when the crash happened.
Maryland State Police said last week a tire on the dump truck blew, which caused the vehicle to cross lanes, crash and burst into flames. It happened on the morning of April 8 on I-495 in Prince George’s County.
Video from the scene captured Bishop John Adonteng Boateng, who serves at Divine Word International Ministries in Woodbridge, carrying the boy away from the flames.
“I didn’t think about my life, I just wanted to do what I loved to do,” the bishop told DC News Now the day of the crash. “When I approached the fire, it was burning, it was flaming so high. I saw a child that was crawling, trying to come out of the vehicle. So, I stretched my arms into the fire and picked up the child.”
Thursday, the bishop brought a blue teddy bear, cards and gifts for the boy. Together, the group hugged, shook hands and prayed.
“This is godly, and I thank God the child and the mom have a second chance to live their lives,” said Bishop John.
According to the family, both mother and son are communicating with them, not verbally, but by opening their eyes and nodding their heads. Both are expected to have months of recovery ahead of them, as both suffer from burns and other serious injuries.
“They’re as good as possibly can be expected. They are still here with us,” said Elania Nesbitt, Scheracon’s sister and Aarihimis’s aunt. “They have been through a few surgeries just to get that dead skin off from the burns but it’s still a long road ahead of us. We’re not out the woods, but we’re making progress day by day.”
Nesbitt said her sister is being treated at a hospital in Washington, while her nephew is being treated in Baltimore.
She said she was still in some disbelief that this happened.
“You don’t expect something like this to happen. We ride past accidents every day. All day, people speeding and stuff like that, it’s crazy. You don’t never know if it’s going to be your family, your sister, your aunt, your uncle,” she said.
The family is asking for continued prayers and support for the mother and son.
They said even sending cards to decorate their hospital rooms helps.
“I appreciate all of the people who want to know if they’re okay, how they’re progressing. They’re progressing well day by day,” said Nesbitt.
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