Trucker Saves Boy From Burning Car In Fatal Crash, Calls It Equal Tragedy, Miracle

Little Caleb's mother died at the scene, but because of an alert passerby, he will now have a chance at growing up.

Friday, November 15th 2013, 5:32 pm



A Green Country boy is without a mother after a deadly crash in Claremore.

Troopers said the toddler was buckled into his car seat when the car flipped off the County Road 4220 bridge and on to the Will Rogers Turnpike.

His mother died on the scene.

That little boy is alive today, thanks to a truck driver who was in the right place at the right time.

Troopers say Michelle Hall was driving with her son down the county road and she came around the corner and crashed into the guardrail, which sent her car flying over a bridge.

Fortunately, for her little boy, there was a hero waiting down below.

If Brian Dunn didn't believe in fate before, he does now.

"Everybody's put in certain situations for a reason," Dunn said.

He's a truck driver from Florida, who spends a good part of his time behind the wheel of a big rig.

"I run all 48 states," Dunn said.

11/14/13 Related Story: Claremore Woman Killed, Child Injured In Crash On Will Rogers Turnpike

During his life on the road Dunn says he's seen a lot, but never anything like what happened right in front of him while driving through Oklahoma on Thursday.

"Out of the corner of my eye, a car...it sounds so surreal, but it was slow motion," he said. "She went off the embankment and that's when the car flipped."

He rushed to help. When he got to the car, part of was on fire. He had an extinguisher in his truck, and just as he left to get it, something he heard changed this father's plan.

"Then when I heard the little boy scream, that changed my focus," he said. "Like I said, I've got a baby myself."

The little boy he heard was 2-year-old Caleb Hall.

He was upside down and crying, still buckled in his car seat inside the crushed car.

"It was mangled, the door was crushed, I don't know how I got it open," he said. "I just kept pulling and pulling and it finally let go. … I got him out and I just kind of like held him for a few minutes, kind of, like I said, pictured my kids, you know?

Caleb's mom, Michelle Hall, didn't make it. Troopers said she died on the scene, with no indication of what caused the crash.

"It's a tragedy, but then again, it's a miracle, too," he said.

Despite the wreckage, Caleb survived with just a few cuts to his hands and face.

Dunn hopes to keep in touch with Michelle Hall's family so he can watch little Caleb grow.

Dunn said the Hall family called him Thursday to thank him for being a hero to Caleb.

"They were just thankful I was there, and you know, [they were] trying to use the word hero, and that's not what I am," Dunn said. "I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I just hope the boy has a great life and lives it to the fullest. We're never promised tomorrow."

Hall's stepdaughter, Kandace Hall, sent us this statement:

"My step mother was a very loving and caring woman. From the day she met me and my brothers and sisters she treated us like we had always been part of her family. Its still hard to believe she is gone. There are no words that can describe what our family is going through but we know that she is in a better place and she will be watching over us everyday. She was loved by many people and she will be greatly missed by everyone that knew her."

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