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Hospitals are grateful for their volunteers
Akron, Summit County jobless rates increase
Future members of school board get early lessons
Browns lose game they never should have lost
After 30 years at the helm of Akron Children's, Considine still looks to future
Utility mines new power source
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2 men shot during party in Fairlawn
Cancellation of Christmas not an option
Akron man killed in crash on his street
Several people hurt in Akron crash
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Akron Children's Hospital CEO, wife announce $1 million gift to support research
Police: Pennsylvania man killed misbehaving puppy before Steelers game
Akron Circle K store robbed for second time this month
KSU suspends basketball player
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Blogs:
Pets:
A Dog Named Christmas – Pet for the Holidays
The Heldenfiles:
Viewing Notes
Patrick McManamon:
Of pass interference and alleged "fake" injuries
Akron Zips:
No. 1 Akron to play Stanford next
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Audio: Mangini disputes Poteat call, accuses Lions of faking injuries
Kent State Sports:
Flashes travel to Florida Atlantic
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeye Football – Present and Future
Varsity Letters:
Gulley to visit Central Michigan in December
All Da King's Men:
The Onion, By Any Other Name…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Glaring Contradictions
Akron Law Café:
Don't Try to Have Fun if you are Depressed
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
What Automotive Thing Are You Thankful For?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Faye Dunaway to be Evicted?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Monique asks how to get tickets for the Polar Express.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why I am Glad I live in NEO
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Kenmore girl hears distress call when pickup truck falls on man working underneath
By Connie Bloom
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Friday, Jan 11, 2008
Big things come in small packages, Kenmore resident Rob Congrove is quick to say.
The 48-year-old crane operator was doing some routine maintenance on his metallic blue Dodge Dakota pickup Monday night when everything went black. The jack started slipping, pinning Congrove underneath.
Before the drama was over, a petite 11-year-old superhero named Schae Painter swooped in and saved his life.
''I need to do something,'' said Congrove as he sat Thursday in his hospital bed at Akron General Medical Center. ''She needs recognition for what she did. In our neighborhood, that's rare. People will sit and watch your house burn down.''
It all began Monday evening around 9, when Congrove's wife Rebecca, 50, was doing laundry in the basement of their 13th Street Southwest home and he was tinkering with the truck outside, adding antifreeze and tightening a few bolts.
''I was just working underneath the front end of my truck,'' he said. ''I had the tires off the ground and had a tight bolt on the tie rod and put my foot up on the curve for leverage to release the pressure and it pulled the jack and stand, which went sideways, and the truck came down on top of me.
''God had to be with me, because I was going to take the passenger tire off, but didn't because it was too much bother. I got the weight of the frame, but the tire took a lot of the pressure. . . . It's all a daze to me. Nobody was around and I was
yelling and screaming. My wife said I laid there for 20 minutes before anybody seen me.''
But somebody was listening.
Up in her room, little Schae Painter, a Pfeiffer Elementary School student, was watching TV.
''I heard something three times,'' said the little girl in a pink ''princess'' sweatshirt on Thursday. ''He kept saying the same thing. Someone was saying, 'Hey,' then I told my mom it was Rob.''
It wasn't an easy thing for Schae to hear a cry for help above the din of the constantly active neighborhood, said mom Shanan Painter. ''There's always fights outside,'' but she has learned to ignore the racket. Schae's instincts kicked in to alert her that something bigger was amiss. Those instincts saved a man's life.
When mom looked out, she saw a flashlight going on and off across the street, from under the truck. The families were friendly and Rob liked to give her sons, Kahlib, 14, and Jimmie, 5, old toys and model cars from time to time. It's important for neighbors to hang tight, Schae said.
Shanan Painter told Schae to hang back while she bolted across the street. Rob, who was in and out of consciousness, told her to get Rebecca and put their barking Dobermans in the basement. Rebecca alerted authorities while Rob struggled for his next breath.
''It was a heavy load,'' he said, ''I don't think I'd like to do that again. I didn't like all that excitement.''
He recalls being under the truck and face-to-face with a firefighter at one point.
''I pray to God that fireman knows who he is 'cause I don't have his name to thank him,'' Congrove said. ''I just remember one fireman talking to me and then I was in the emergency room. I thought the fireman was brave being down there with me. I didn't know if the jack would come down any further.''
He spent three nights in the ICU but was moved to a private room Thursday evening. The prognosis is good. ''I'm just bruised up on the insides,'' he said.
The Congroves asked Shanan and Schae Painter to visit Rob's hospital room Thursday so they could say thanks.
''You saved my life, young lady,'' he said to the girl in pink. ''Can I have a hug?
''Don't squeeze too hard.''
She obliged.
Connie Bloom can be reached at 330-996-3568 or cbloom@thebeaconjournal.com.
Big things come in small packages, Kenmore resident Rob Congrove is quick to say.
Get the full article here.
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