Duggar boys help save little girl's life

[mickilee]

(PEOPLE.com) -- It was a clear Thursday afternoon when Josh Duggar, the first of 19 children born to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, looked out at the highway in Springdale, Arkansas, and watched in horror as three cars crashed.

"I went out to see what I could do," said Josh, 21, whose family is featured on TLC's "19 Kids and Counting" reality show. "That's when I saw the little girl."

Six-year-old Maddye Plascensia was brought by her grandmother from the wreck into Josh's nearby used car dealership.

Josh immediately called 911 and kept the dispatcher informed as his brother, John, 20, did CPR on the unresponsive child. Both young men have experience as volunteer firefighters in their hometown of Tontitown, Arkansas.

"Having a daughter of my own, I felt such a connection there," said Josh, who is parent to 3-month-old Mackynzie with his wife, Anna, 21. "I was glad to have had some trauma training."

Josh said all the credit goes to the Springdale, Ark., firefighters who arrived to continue working on little Maddye. "I could see the emotion in their eyes," Josh says. "It was very serious."


Maddye is now in critical condition at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock -- the same hospital where Josh's premature baby sister, Josie, is in intensive care. The Duggars met up with Maddye's grateful family Tuesday night in a hospital lobby.

Proud parents

"They recognized us and were thanking us for Josh and John helping to save little Maddye's life," said Jim Bob. "I am so proud of my two oldest sons who responded so quickly in helping to save this little girl."

He added: "You pour your life into your children, and it was so encouraging that they had such a quick response and were ready to help. They made a difference."

Josh said that he believes he and John were there to help. "I don't believe in coincidences," Josh said. "I think we were in the right place at the right time because God has a plan for Maddye's life. I'm glad we were there."

For full article, go toPEOPLE.com

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

What a wonderful story.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

What a wonderful story. Those kids are truly class acts.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Great story - thanks for sharing.

NOw I'll & wait to see what negative things are said just because it's the Duggars -I'm sure its coming...

 

[Nancy]

Great story - thanks for sharing.

NOw I'll & wait to see what negative things are said just because it's the Duggars -I'm sure its coming...

I don't know how anyone can say anything negative about this one. I can't see having that many kids but in watching the show you can see what nice kids they are...polite, well mannered and they care about their family and others...all good qualities in my book.

 

[handinpocket]

I don't know how anyone can say anything negative about this one. I can't see having that many kids but in watching the show you can see what nice kids they are...polite, well mannered and they care about their family and others...all good qualities in my book.

Oh, check out the Josie duggar thread. A bunch of them are incensed that one of the boys used his cell phone to video it. They think they had ulterior motives and are evil.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

Oh, check out the Josie duggar thread. A bunch of them are incensed that one of the boys used his cell phone to video it. They think they had ulterior motives and are evil.

 

[Tinijocaro]

The video doesn't even show the girl-I see no problem with it.

 

[luvmy3]

The video doesn't even show the girl-I see no problem with it.

I have never made it a secret that I'm no fan of the Duggars but I find it very odd that they video taped this, of course that would go for anyone who did it.

I applaud these boys, and my thoughts are with the little girl and her family

 

[Heidict]

I am another one that could never imagine having that many kids. I value my sanity way to much. For them though, it works. The kids seem so well mannered, polite, responsible and are well adjusted kids. I would think that any parent would be proud to have a child like this.

Glad they were there and were able to help that little girl. My prayers are with her and the others injured in the accident. Personally though, I think the parent (or driver of her car) needs to be beaten. Why was a young child riding in the front seat with no seat belt on?

The video taping is weird, but in this day and age where anyone can tape anything it doesn't surprise me. Heck, I have seen weirder things taped before, so saving someones life doesn't seem that weird in comparision.

 

[wendy46001]

I have never made it a secret that I'm no fan of the Duggars but I find it very odd that they video taped this, of course that would go for anyone who did it.

I applaud these boys, and my thoughts are with the little girl and her family

I brought it up on the other thread
and i agree

why on earth would you tape something like this
unless it was to air on your tv show?

adding I'm glad the little girl is OK
but i really hope they don’t air this

 

[luvmy3]

I am another one that could never imagine having that many kids. I value my sanity way to much. For them though, it works. The kids seem so well mannered, polite, responsible and are well adjusted kids. I would think that any parent would be proud to have a child like this.

Glad they were there and were able to help that little girl. My prayers are with her and the others injured in the accident. Personally though, I think the parent (or driver of her car) needs to be beaten. Why was a young child riding in the front seat with no seat belt on?

The video taping is weird, but in this day and age where anyone can tape anything it doesn't surprise me. Heck, I have seen weirder things taped before, so saving someones life doesn't seem that weird in comparision.

What happened to the driver, were they seriously injured?

 

[Robinrs]

PR....

 

[MiniGirl]

In this day and age, I don't think videotaping it is weird at all. We have seem many cases of good samaritans being sued by those they were trying to help. These people claimed they did this or that and made the situation worse. A videotape of their actions would help clear all that up.

I'm not saying this was thir thoughts because obviously I don't know. I'm just saying that if one is going to get involved in something like this, having a record of your actions is not a bad idea.

 

[NY Disney fan]

In this day and age, I don't think videotaping it is weird at all. We have seem many cases of good samaritans being sued by those they were trying to help. These people claimed they did this or that and made the situation worse. A videotape of their actions would help clear all that up.

I'm not saying this was thir thoughts because obviously I don't know. I'm just saying that if one is going to get involved in something like this, having a record of your actions is not a bad idea.

I was saying the same thing the other day. Being a good samaritan can get you into trouble. You could give someone CPR and they could sue you for breaking their rib cage. Its been done, repeatedly. Or they could end up brain damaged. The family could say, "why didn't you just let them die?"

 

[DMRick]

Oh, check out the Josie duggar thread. A bunch of them are incensed that one of the boys used his cell phone to video it. They think they had ulterior motives and are evil.

I just re-read the other thread. I don't see anyone incensed, I just see a total (not a bunch) of three wondering why they would video tape the emt's stabilizing the girl. Not a one was incensed. I also can't see any reason why they would video tape it. I doubt that would help them in a lawsuit, since they were no longer involved (emt's were there). I would think they would understand the privacy of this little girl, and the choice should have been hers, if she was going to be taped. I hope it's not to put on their show. I think the time would have been better spent praying for this child...or maybe they did that while video taping.
That said, I'm glad they were there when needed.

 

[luvmy3]

I just re-read the other thread. I don't see anyone incensed, I just see a total (not a bunch) of three wondering why they would video tape the emt's stabilizing the girl. Not a one was incensed. I also can't see any reason why they would video tape it. I doubt that would help them in a lawsuit, since they were no longer involved (emt's were there). I would think they would understand the privacy of this little girl, and the choice should have been hers, if she was going to be taped. I hope it's not to put on their show. I think the time would have been better spent praying for this child...or maybe they did that while video taping.
That said, I'm glad they were there when needed.

It may be hard for them to understand that since they have no problems living in front of cameras for everyone to see

 

[cheermom1]

As far as the video we live in the age of TECH!!! really come on?? I know so many kids that age that would do the same thing!! I mean really, it is no different that when we didn't have video phones we had cameras and I bet there were a LOT of kids that took pics of things like that...or when there were no camera's how many people stayed to talk to people that were involved in something like that???

all this proves is that we have video phones that are available at our disposable and who ever thinks of picking it up like they did to capture things like this...

I love the Duggers and while I wouldn't have that many kids who are we to judge? Let he without sin cast the first stone!

 

[mickeylove2]

Why was the Rodney King beating videotaped? Why do people EVERYWHERE videotape various different incidents that happen to others? Think about it, accidents, arrests, they get videotaped by people ALL THE TIME. Who cares that they videotaped this little girl being saved. Heck, while out car shopping, my DD8 was videotaping the car salesman is she planning on putting it on Youtube? IDK, but she wanted to videotape him so she did.

 

[luvmy3]

Why was the Rodney King beating videotaped? Why do people EVERYWHERE videotape various different incidents that happen to others? Think about it, accidents, arrests, they get videotaped by people ALL THE TIME. Who cares that they videotaped this little girl being saved. Heck, while out car shopping, my DD8 was videotaping the car salesman is she planning on putting it on Youtube? IDK, but she wanted to videotape him so she did.

I guess some of us see things like a 6 year old fighting for her life as "sacred" and not an event that should be recorded for your own use (whatever that may be). I think anyone that does that is a little sick and twisted
Video taping some dude trying to sell you a car is not even close to recording a lifeless child being worked on by EMT workers, and you can't really compare something so trivial as that to a young child at what could be the last moment of her life. If you don't care about her being videoed while being saved, how would you feel if she hadn't been saved and that video ended up on youtube for all her family and friends to see? Does that make any difference to you? Just because we have the technology to do so, doesn't give us the moral right to video tape everyone elses moments (good or bad) in life to put on youtube.