A real estate agent who saved four people after a head-on two
car crash north of Auckland on Friday has been hailed as a
hero.
Rob Kuypers was driving his son home from school when he
arrived at the crash scene on East Coast Rd at Redvale, 30km
northwest of downtown Auckland, the Herald on Sunday
reported.
Four-year-old Adam Pretorius of Milford was killed in the
crash while his two sisters, aged six and nine, their
grandmother, and the 17-year-old female driver of the other
car all remained in hospital.
The victims' injuries ranged from critical to moderate.
The car was "pretty well ablaze" by the time Mr Kuypers
pulled the driver and oldest child from the front seats, with
a number of motorists watching but not wanting to go near the
burning vehicle.
He said Adam was already dead, but pulled him and another
child from the car before helping the other car's teen
driver.
"I thought, 'It's not going to blow before it gets to the
tank'. The kids...you just think 'stuff it, we're gonna get
them out of there'..."It doesn't matter what happens. They're
kids -- I'm 50 years old. They've got their whole lives to
go. I'll take the risk".
Police said the car carrying the children crossed the centre
line and hit the teen's car.
Speed was not believed to be a factor.
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