It was an emotional meeting as the family of 11-month-old Aleena and 2-year-old Paul Messiah thanked the two men who rescued the kids from a burning minivan, after a fatal crash.
“Main concern was just trying to get those babies out. He said he was behind me hitting me on the back telling me to hurry up because the front of the van was engulfed in flames,” said J.D. Bennatt. Bennatt and his son James actually cut the children out of their car seats to get them to safety.
The Bennatt’s say seeing the kids now at home safe and sound, makes it all worth it. It’s clear the two families will be part of each others lives for years.
“The son, he's going to baptize the little girl and the dad is going to baptize the little boy. They're going to be their godparents,” said Lopez.
For the Lopez family the experience is bitter sweet, because the children’s parents, 21-year-old Rosa Lopez and 20-year-old Paul Rosales were killed.
“Especially for my nephew [and niece] that now they're not going to have their parents in their lives,” said Lopez. They say the tragedy is bearable thanks to two strangers who risked their lives to save two babies who are just starting theirs. The children’s Grandfather tearfully thanked the men. J.D. and James insist they're no heroes, but it's clear they are.
“Anybody can be a hero, we just happened to be there at the same time, you know the right time. But I hope that anybody would do what we did,” said James Bennatt.
“God put us there in that point in time for a purpose,” said J.D. Bennatt.