‘Definitely fate’: Michigan veteran catches baby thrown from burning apartment
[July 21, 2020: Fox 40 Sacramento] Dramatic cellphone video captured a Kalamazoo native as he caught a baby who was thrown from a…
[July 21, 2020: Fox 40 Sacramento]
Dramatic cellphone video captured a Kalamazoo native as he caught a baby who was thrown from a burning apartment building in Arizona.
“It was definitely fate,” said Phillip Blanks.
Blanks made the rescue in Phoenix on July 2. The baby boy’s mom sacrificed her life to save his. She threw him out of the window of their burning apartment.
“Soon as I caught him, it was a divine moment,” said Blanks. “We looked each other in the eyes, and he had this new slate of life in him, new chance at life, like I’ll never forget that.”
Blanks credited the split-second decision to his training as a Marine and wide receiver for Kalamazoo Central High School.
“It was all an act of God,” said Blanks.
The veteran’s hometown community leaders rewarded him for his heroism.... MORE
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Joseph Shavit, based in Los Angeles, is a seasoned science journalist, editor and co-founder of The Brighter Side of News, where he transforms complex discoveries into clear, engaging stories for general readers. With experience at major media groups like Times Mirror and Tribune, he writes with both authority and curiosity. His work spans astronomy, physics, quantum mechanics, climate change, artificial intelligence, health, and medicine. Known for linking breakthroughs to real-world markets, he highlights how research transitions into products and industries that shape daily life.