83-year-old man with prosthetic leg rescues children

PLANT CITY, Fla. (AP) – An 83-year-old man with a prosthetic leg is being hailed a hero after rescuing two children from a fatal car crash.

Ralph Patterson said he heard the crash and the children’s screams Sunday. While his wife called 911, Patterson saw a 4-year-old boy hanging from a busted out the back window of the minivan. The minivan was in a ditch that made it difficult for Patterson to reach because of his leg, so he flagged down a passing motorist.

He told the Tampa Bay Times (http://tinyurl.com/o5crydn) that together they retrieved the 4-year-old and his 1-year-old brother.

Authorities said the boys’ mother died on impact.

Hillsborough County sheriff’s deputies said the youngest boy was ejected from the van and neither child was wearing a seatbelt.

The boys were treated for minor injuries and reunited with their father.