3 Men Hailed Heroes After Saving Baby, Helping Countless Others In Pileup Near Downtown OKC

Three men are being hailed as heroes after risking their lives to help others in Monday's 29-vehicle pileup just off Interstate 40 near downtown Oklahoma City.

"You can't really describe it," said Dakota Wakefield. "It's fight or flight."

"It's something out of a movie," said Darrius Corley. 

That's how the two coworkers remember the moments leading up to the massive crash. 

"There was a jeep coming, and it smoked us," said Wakefield. "Then they just started piling up after that."

The pair, along with their other coworker, were on their way to their next job with Butler Plumbing. In those moments on Monday, they became first responders.

"We heard a lady screaming, 'My baby, My baby,'" said Wakefield. "So Darrius and I ran over there."

In the midst of helping, Wakefield heard another car get hit. The next thing he knew, he was pinned. 

Wakefield was eventually freed and they were able to help the mom and her baby out of the car, but Wakefield's co-workers kept helping. 

"I pulled up (the) pants up, and it was soaked in blood," said UCO student Cameron Stevens.

He was one of the at least five people injured in the crash. Corley and his coworker came over to help him when he realized his ankle was bleeding. 

"That's when they sat me down, covered me in jackets, and I waited for first responders," said Stevens. 

The college student just ended up just needing stitches, but he credits the safety of the baby and others to the three men.

He's not the only one, either.

The baby's mom and aunt reached out to Wakefield to thank him. That's when Wakefield found out the mom was not only worried about her baby in the car, but her baby on the way. The woman said she's six months pregnant. 

Wakefield is now recovering from surgery at OU Health. He broke his hip, pelvis and tailbone, and expects to be in a wheelchair for months but still insists he's not a hero. 

He wants people to remember to slow down in the coming days and stay safe in the winter weather.