A Real-Life Hero!

By MARIAH MERCER

LIFESTYLES EDITOR

Every mother wants to believe her son will be a hero and perhaps that comes true for everyone in some small way.

But for Brenda Lovejoy, her 17-year-old son Rodney really was a hero when he saved his grandfather's life earlier this month.

Rodney and his grandfather, Robert Hopkins, were working on a truck in the garage of the Lovejoy home on Jan. 2 "” the last day of Rodney's school vacation. Hopkins had removed the drive shaft from the engine and was working underneath the engine compartment when the Chevy S-10 truck suddenly began rolling backward.

"It went backward and hit the garage door," recalled Rodney. "He was pinned on the side under the cab. I was freaking out."

The truck had trapped Rodney as well, but he managed to wiggle out from underneath the vehicle on his own. His grandfather, however, had passed out after calling for help.

"There was blood all the way around the truck," Rodney said. He grabbed a nearby jack and began cranking. Within minutes, he had lifted the truck off his grandfather. Rodney then dragged the older man out from underneath the vehicle before anyone came on the scene. He grabbed a shirt and staunched the bleeding.

"I heard a bang," Brenda said. She was in the house with Rodney's siblings and didn't realize there had been an accident. "My other son went outside and told me there was an accident. I called 9-1-1 and had the kids wait for the ambulance and the EMTs out front."

The ambulance arrived quickly and took Rodney and Hopkins to Fostoria Community Hospital.

Rodney was released with two stitches, but his grandfather was transferred to a hospital in Toledo. He is still there, but with only two broken ribs and plenty of bruises.

"The doctor told us that whoever got my dad out did it very quickly ... the injuries could have been much worse," Brenda noted. "If Rodney had been in school that day, my dad would have been out there alone and who knows what would have happened."

Rodney is a senior at Fostoria High School and enrolled in the horticulture program at Sentinel Vocational Center in Tiffin. He attends Praise Chapel Church in North Baltimore. An artist who enjoys drawing, particularly cars, Rodney hopes to pursue a career in design. He is considering attending Cleveland State University next fall.

Although Hopkins is still in the hospital recovering, his family expects him to be released some time next week.

"I'm very proud of Rodney," added Brenda. "I probably would have just panicked and started hyperventilating, but he leapt right into action and probably saved my dad's life. He was the hero that day."

Hopkins was semi-retired and does not have insurance. A fund has been started to cover his medical expenses. Donations can be made to the "Robert Hopkins Accident Fund" at the First Federal Bank in McComb.

You can also connect me @ attvcks@gmail.com for info on the fund, how to give and where.