Pinned under a car, he prayed for an angel. Then his 9-year-old neighbor rescued him
The 9-year-old Midlands boy who recently saved his neighbor will be honored for the heroic action.
Malachi Coffey, of Sumter, will be presented with a citation for saving the life of his neighbor after he was trapped beneath a vehicle.
The incident occurred March 10, when Coffey was playing in the yard and he heard someone cry out for help, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
Coffey responded to the cries and discovered his neighbor, 65-year-old Allen Clemmons, trapped beneath a Ford Mustang which had fallen off of its jacks. Clemmons was removing the transmission from the 3,000-pound car when is rolled off the blocks elevating it.
“I was playing outside and I heard someone yelling,” Coffey said to wistv.com. “He was saying something like he was stuck but I didn’t know what he meant.”
Coffey grabbed a nearby jack to get the vehicle off of the injured man, the sheriff's office said.
“My uncle taught me how to use a jack so I knew how,” Coffey said to wistv.com.
Clemmons suffered severe injuries, including six broken ribs and a fractured pelvis, and is still hospitalized. He is expected to recover, according to the sheriff's office.
“To always help people — no matter how big or small you are," Coffey said to wltx.com. "It’s the right thing to do.”
Clemmons recalled that before Coffey came to his rescue, he was about to give up.
He prayed for God to send him an angel as he cried out one last time for help, according to multiple reports. That’s when Coffey rescued him.
“I asked God to help me, to give me one more holler and send an angel by my way,” Clemmons said. “The last holler before I give up.”
Coffey will receive his honor on March 27 at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office from Sheriff Anthony Dennis.
Malachi will also be recognized during the Sumter County Council’s meeting at 6 p.m.
Honoring a Hero
Who: Malachi Coffey
What: The 9-year-old Sumter boy will be recognized for saving his neighbor
When: March 27
Where: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (5 p.m.) and Sumter County Council chambers (6 p.m.)
This story was originally published March 21, 2018 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Pinned under a car, he prayed for an angel. Then his 9-year-old neighbor rescued him."