It is the story that everyone is talking about thanks to the bravery and hard
work of our
first responders.
>> 2 local children are now
back safely with their family
just in time
for Christmas officer Blake or
take us with the Jacksonville
sheriff’s office and lieutenant
and Toro with Jacksonville fire
and rescue joining us now you
too were part of the amazing
team of firefighters and police
officers that discovered these
2 children in the
thick Woods and I know that you
have been working around the
clock. I know that you’re both
tired. But we appreciate you
being here to tell everyone the
story officer I want to begin
with you. You were going
through those Woods.
You teamed up with Jacksonville
fire and rescue. This is a line
search tell me set the scene
here. That was a pretty rough.
You know, you’re a but
briar patch is the Warner grow
into a Creek.
You there’s one point on the
step on the snake it out status
stop for Matt let it go on and
we continued, but it was it was
a long hard push and it
we’re in for a couple hours
outside and by no means a good
place for children to absolute
out. The tenant if we could
talk to you. You are out there.
Searching around the clock with your team, you’re part of the urban search and rescue teams
are you Sir. So you
do this what goes through your
head we’re in day 3. And
there’s no sign of these
children is there any optimism.
Oh there’s always up to we like
said you.
But all the prayers and you
know God’s plan.
>> And at all that hard work
that these guys do I’m a
trained for we knew that our
best team was out there the
best guys and girls were out
there
there was a slight chance of
them being a lot of found were
a fun and the rain. The weather
was going to stop us. You all
had been searching 4 days you
had been searching for hours
yesterday. Tell me about
the moment. When the discovery
was made. Looking back it was
kind of funny but I mean the
moment was well they got to my
left the
NFL Colin, heard some children,
ah I hear him too so we held
everybody up online and
then down. I don’t know what
else to say in the moments I
just said hello and we saw his
little a pump House look like
thing Braxton pope to his head
said hey
guys like what are you guys
doing out here that it has so
many feel that HR was a star
running and all the guys we’re
high 5 and just you know
display over the keys and and
and hugging each other just
thought it was amazing and
would that the kid is ahead by
one may she grabbed ahold of me
and hold up under Dow. And we
we got to the woods and she
wasn’t gonna let you go she
will I was he let her go.
But the team was amazing out
there
the best-case their house a
real was it to have worked
so hard for a positive outcome
and then look in your hand
and have this little girl in
your arms and then look at your
colleagues.
>> That had the
little boy.
>> I mean a thing the best
thing is
Christmas miracle. There’s no
other reason have great weather
like we did and those kids by
the way they did the best he
was out there. A fellow Bro
just so on Rt Rt taste of the
best United States and it was
just amazing that I mean is
that you that’s money that
you’re right. They’re circling
them out of the rescue unit to
certain that the rest of the
guys were out there
on that fall search and that’s
the 3rd day right there’s some
guys out there for 72 hours.
searching. Well, so.
Tell me about
working hand in hand and then
finally making that I think
that you said a lot of people.
>> Didn’t know what to do they were just in awe about the situation absolutely you know
it was it was truly amazing see
high will come together.
It was it was all see a team
effort and I’m grateful for the
resources that we have between
Sam Farr D the community as
well and searching for these
children and that outcome was
actually amazing. It’s an
incredible partnership now it
has the stereotype of police
officers and firefighters not
getting along is certainly not
sure I would Jacket as it is a
good partnership and win it so
make that happen. So
the children asked for a couple
of things I heard that they
were tired they were thirsty.
They were hungry, they asked
for one thing in specific.
Yes, so they
wanted pizza. As funny as you
know the kids were going to the
woods and which I’m not that
people are getting worked up.
>> We’re going to some thick
Woods, a
swampy area. And Joseph talk
about Christmas. She said I
want to teddy bear. maybe want
a tablet
so we asked what they wanted to
eat and they both of those
other we want cheese pizza
suits pizza that seems a bit
ago and they ran down there.
And such a great moment, and
they got the pizza, they got a
pizza. Their home with a
moment that.
>> Firefighters and police
officers are tough men and
women you see a lot. I heard
there were tears.
>> Were
not video that the athlete a
lot of emotions going on this.
So usually happen
this way and then there is so
thankful to be part of that I
do want to go off that with you
lieutenant because I know that
you and your team members.
>> With the search and rescue
team this or when to Alabama
was right in the search not too
long ago for Taylor rose
Williams that did not
and happily like this one that
ended in tragedy.
Do you think that the men and
women needed a success like
this.
I think everybody this right.
I mean the biggest close
Christmas anytime it happens.
We always work hard we train
hard together we.
We have great leadership above
us always from the mayor only
does pardon us and
for that we always have hope
that’s what we train to what we
do will never give up we really
got a call and said hey he has
got 20 more MS. A rain clouds
but no rain so I’m going to
want it and all these guys they
were going through a rainstorm
to be finished as grid.
20 yards to the left where you
are so right we would have
missed them in my son got the
right place right time. I just
happen to be the guy in the
picture. Because all those guys
did I mean it was amazing to
see how much area we covered
a true team effort and it’s
amazing to hear that those
storms we know they were
strong. We’re coming in you
literally found these children
in the Nick of time.
Thank you so much
we appreciate it thank you for
your service, thank you thank
you to all of our first
responders because we know that
there were so many
other people.
>> Involved in that effort and
your team just happened to be
the ones that was there that
made that difference and
I can say thank you enough on
behalf of the city of
Jacksonville everybody watching