Moment 3-year-old autistic boy is rescued from tracks as train approaches
A three-year-old boy with autism was rescued from tracks as a train approached, in a daring effort by multiple workers.
Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy was steering a train southbound on the Metro-North Railroad when he saw an object in the distance and realized a young child was on the northbound track.
“There’s a little kid north of you guys… just keep an eye out, he just popped out of a wall,’ someone can be heard saying in a video released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday.
The northbound train, operated by Locomotive Engineer Shawn Loughran alongside a trainee, continues at a slow pace as they search for the child. A person can be heard calling for electricity to be shut off.
Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins then jumps onto the tracks and runs 40 yards ahead of the train and takes hold of the toddler. He then brings the boy on board.
‘In the heat of the moment when you see a child in this situation, your first instinct is to make sure they’re safe,’ stated Higgins. ‘I’m glad our crew was there and able to help.’
Loughran said: ‘I’m just so happy it all worked out and everything fell into place.’
The toddler was rescued near Tarrytown station in New York shortly after 3.15pm on April 6. Signal Maintainers Max Chong and Christopher Fraina, who were on their way over to assist, came across the boy’s mother and sister crying at the corner of a street.
Train worker soon realized that the rescued child was theirs, and they were reunited on a platform. The mother explained that her son has autism.
‘Everybody’s quick thinking and the perfect timing allowed us to get this child off the tracks and back to his family,’ said Kennedy.
The MTA awarded five of the train employees with commendations during a ceremony on Monday.
‘These fine team members embodied the qualities we want our employees to exhibit while on duty, alert, responsive, knowledgeable and helpful,’ stated Metro-North Railroad President and Interim LIRR President Catherine Rinaldi.
‘With the bravery and calm comportment of superheroes, they averted a horrific outcome and saw to it that this little boy was not going to become a statistic.’
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