A Heroic Rescue in Kent
A young boy was saved from being crushed by a heavy engine flywheel when a local woman lifted the massive weight off his chest.
Little Johnnie Ramstad, who lives at what is known as the Dave Neely place, about two miles west of Kent, must be one of the luckiest beings alive, for although he had an iron weight of between 400 and 500 pounds on his chest for a short time Friday evening, he is able to sit up in bed and tell all about it. There is another remarkable feature in this case, and that is that a small woman, alone and unassisted, raised the weight from the child's breast and thus saved its life. Johnnie Ramstad, who is about 7 years old, was playing with other children near a building. Leaning against this building was a large iron flywheel, such as is used on an engine. In some manner, young Ramstad caused the wheel to tumble, and before he could escape it knocked him down on the ground and fell across his chest. Mrs. Byron Guiberson was the first one to hear the call for help. When she observed the little boy lying on the ground with the heavy wheel on his body, she gave no thought to the weight she would have to lift, but took hold of the wheel as if it had been made of wood, and up it came.
“She gave no thought to the weight she would have to lift, but took hold of the wheel as if it had been made of wood, and up it came.”
This account of a miraculous rescue in rural Kent captures the dangers of industrial equipment left unsecured in residential areas during the late 19th century. It also serves as a testament to the strength and quick action of community members in an era before professional emergency services were readily available.
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