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Hero Catches Boy Falling From 10th Floor

Hero Catches Boy Falling From 10th Floor

The man has been given a bravery award recognising his life-saving catch

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

Think of the pressure when you're in the outfield during a game of cricket or baseball, and the ball is soaring through the air towards your hands. Or for those who don't play such sports, imagine you're walking down the street and out of nowhere someone shouts, 'Hey, catch this egg!'

As the ball (or egg) glides in slow motion towards you, it is nigh-on impossible not to think of what will happen if you fumble your catch. It is terrifying.

Imagine then, that rather than simply not getting someone out or ending up with egg on your jumper, a dropped catch means the almost certain death of a child. Now that is a pressure catch, and exactly the situation Artem Karev found himself in earlier this week after a child reportedly climbed out of the window while his mum was out of the house.

CEN

The 28-year-old ran out to his balcony in Astana, Kazakhstan, after he heard screaming. Within seconds, the boy fell and Mr Karev made the life-saving catch.

He said: "I heard people screaming, then I looked up and I saw a child hanging on the floor above. I was scared too, I started lifting my arms towards him, in case he started falling.

"About 15 seconds later, the boy started plummeting down from the 10th floor. But I managed to catch him. He wasn't crying, he was very calm, as if he simply stopped by to pay me a visit."

In future, Mr Karev would probably prefer it if the kid just knocked on the front door if he wants to know if he's playing out. That said, you don't get bravery awards for answering your front door.

Sure enough, Mr Karev was presented with the award by the capital city's mayor, Bakhyt Sultanov, who lauded him as the perfect model of how people should treat one another.

Mr Karev was also rewarded with 500,000 KZT (£1,055 / $1,375) in cash, but the LAD said he was going to donate the cash to a charity that helps install child-proof window safety systems for families that can't afford them.

A neighbour filmed the drama as it unfolded and shared the video online, with countless people praising Mr Karev.

CEN

One person wrote: "Wishing you lots of happiness, you real man. This news made me weep with happiness."

Another said: "This man was that kid's guardian angel."

Sputnik News reports that the boy was taken to hospital as a precaution after the fall and was found to be in good condition... It would have been a totally different story though if it wasn't for Mr Karev's quick-thinking, courage and safe hands.

Featured Image Credit: CEN

Topics: hero, Rescue