Scott McFarland rescued Grant A. Smith from burning, Beaverton, Michigan, December 13, 2019. Grant, 11, was in a rear seat passenger of a van when the van left the road at night and struck a tree, where it caught fire at its front end. McFarland, 47, ironworker, heard the sound of the crash and looked outside through a window. Seeing the van in flames in his backyard, he left his residence and ran to the van, where he saw a boy exiting through a broken out rear window opening. McFarland assisted the boy out to safety, then heard screams coming from the van. McFarland returned to the window and, despite growing flames at the front end of the van, partially entered the van through the window opening and unlatched Grant’s seat belt. Grasping Grant under his arms, McFarland tugged on him, but the boy’s legs were trapped beneath the driver’s seat. McFarland leaned farther into van and pulled on Grant’s legs multiple times, eventually freeing them. By then, the driver’s seat was on fire and flames were spreading toward them. McFarland again grasped Grant under his arms and torso, and holding him, backed through the window opening. McFarland placed Grant on the ground. Grant stood up, and McFarland aided him back to his residence to safety. Flames shortly grew to engulf the van. Grant, who suffered a neck injury and broke both of his arms, also sustained severe burns. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. McFarland was treated at a hospital for burns to both hands; he recovered.
90983-10241Scott McFarland
Beaverton, MI