May 30, 2008 5:29 pm US/Eastern
Teen Comforts Victim Trapped In MBTA Train Crash
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
-
-
Ben Papapiertro visits Min Perry in the hospital days after he helped rescue her when she became pinned in an MBTA collision.
WBZ
Poll
Will you use the T less because of the crash?
You need the latest Flash player to view our Poll.
Click here to download.
Click here to
bypass this detection if you already
have the latest Flash Player.
It was a scary scene. Two Green Line trains slammed into each other in Newton. Twisted metal was everywhere. Dazed and confused, passengers were making their way out of the trains toward the nearest T station and nearby Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
Officials received dozens 911 calls about the crash, but there was one call in particular placed by a Good Samaritan that not only offered a glimpse into the chaos at the crash scene, it also showed how people banded together – helped each other out after the accident.
The call was placed by Ben Papapietro, 19, of Sudbury. He's a student at the University of Phoenix and an intern with the Red Sox. He was on his way home from Fenway Park when the crash happened.
He was with Min Perry, whose legs were pinned by scraps of metal. "I need the Jaws of Life," he said to the dispatcher. "There's a woman's who's trapped… Her legs are trapped inside the first part of the train and she can't get out. She's really jammed inside the train."
Ben held Perry's hand for a half and hour until emergency crews arrived. He not only relayed information to the dispatcher, he comforted the trapped woman. "Deep breaths honey, OK? You're gonna be fine."
Papapiertro told Perry to look into his eyes and that everything was going to be fine. He urged her not to go to sleep.
Noxious fumes were filling the car as Papapiertro comforted Perry. He took off his shirt, covered her face and told her to breath into it.
Papapiertro was not hurt in the crash. He walked out of the car he was in and was on his way to safety when he heard screams coming from the smashed car. Instead of continuing to walk, he went back into harm's way to help Perry.
Perry could be heard on Papapiertro's 911 call saying thank you.
Before the call ended, the dispatcher asked if Papapiertro was on the train with the woman. "Yeah, I'm on the train with her right now," he said.
"You did a good job pal," the dispatcher said.
"Thank you very much," Ben replied.
The two were reunited at the hospital Friday, Ben once again holding Min's hand.
She is recovering from a gash on her and a badly broken ankle.
Federal investigators are still trying to figure out what exactly caused the crash. They are checking trackside signals and reports the trolley driver, Terrese Edmunds, 24, who died in the crash, may have been on a cell phone.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
