An 8-year-old boy from Utah flew 20 feet after his trampoline went airborne, and yet he miraculously survived. According to an interview with KSL, the family of the young Jake Smith are calling it a "miracle."
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Trampoline Flew 20 Feet With Boy Inside Who Managed To Survive
"It happened so fast, without any warning," said Jake's mother, Shellie Smith. It started when the family was visiting relatives in St. George, and the 8-year-old was playing on the trampoline. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew the trampoline 20 feet into the air with Jake still on it.
"My little boy flew up over two cinder block walls and curved around and then landed in the street," Shellie recalled. As soon as her son fell from the trampoline, she ran over to him. Somehow, he looked unharmed. As he sat up, Jake asked his mom if he was in a dream.
"And I said, 'No, son, this wasn't a dream, this was very real,'" said the mother. "He was able to tell me his name, his age and everything, like nothing happened."
His family quickly rushed him to the hospital after the terrifying incident. After receiving a CT scan, it seemed like Jake only suffered a minor concussion and some scratches. Shellie recalled how the trauma department told her they didn't usually see such a positive outcome from these situations.
Shellie and her family knew in their hearts that someone was watching over Jake. "I know that there were angels protecting my little boy, because they caught him," she said. "The fact that he's here with me today is a complete miracle."
The family's major takeaway from this ordeal is that they want to warn other families about the dangers of trampolines. "If you have a trampoline, get it bolted to the ground, because it can happen in seconds," Shellie said.
Luckily, Jake knows what to do the next time he comes face-to-face with a trampoline. "I'm gonna say, 'Is yours bolted down,'" the boy said.
Some trampolines are heavy enough that they wouldn't require any bolting to the ground. But many others may require more effort to keep them safe on the ground. If you own a trampoline, make sure it's heavy enough to withstand heavy wind gusts.
