A little boy knew exactly what he needed to do to save his loved ones when tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma on Saturday.
Nine-year-old Branson Baker and his parents were in their truck when they found themselves in the path of the severe storms that hit the state and devastated communities, the New York Post reported Thursday.
Pint-sized hero sprints mile to save parents injured in tornado: ‘Mom, dad, please don’t die’ https://t.co/2Lj0b0bQHB pic.twitter.com/ATrehgk9ec
— New York Post (@nypost) May 3, 2024
Branson and his parents, Wayne and Lindy Baker, were trying to make it to a shelter in Dickson, which is located north of Marietta, when the worst happened, according to CBS Texas.
The extremely powerful winds lifted their truck and tossed it into some trees. His parents, who were sitting in the front row of the vehicle, suffered broken backs, necks, ribs, and other severe injuries.
According to KNOE 8 News, the twister was classified as an EF4.
After the truck was thrown, Branson immediately took action and got out of the vehicle, knowing it was up to him to perform the rescue. He ran more than a mile in the darkness, avoiding downed power lines as he made his way to a neighbor’s home to find help.
The little boy’s uncle, Johnny Baker, recalled:
The only way he found his way back was with lightning strikes that lit the road. He ran as fast as he could, as hard as he could; he made a mile in ten minutes. That’s pretty impressive for a little kid. The last thing Branson told them was, “Mom, dad, please don’t die. I will be back.”
The tornado that struck Marietta was Oklahoma’s first violent-rated tornado in about eight years, Fox Weather reported Tuesday.
The boy’s uncle was on the phone with the family when the incident happened. When the phone went dead, he and his wife went out to search for their loved ones and found them just as the boy and his helpers arrived to rescue the injured adults.
Branson’s baseball team later hosted a fundraiser to assist the family. His parents are still recovering in the trauma ICU.
As of Friday afternoon, a GoFundMe page set up for the Baker family has raised $52,595 of its $150,000 goal.
“Branson is small, but he is so mighty; he is a hero. You think all the time that children are destined to do great things, but Branson has already started on his greatness,” the page reads.
“Wayne and Lindy are self-employed; they are unable to operate their business in the condition that they are in. Any help that you can offer is greatly appreciated,” it notes.
