Farmer pulls woman and her three children out of a burning minivan

WESTFALL -- Steve Errebo was hot, tired and satisfied Wednesday, heading to the grain elevator with his last load of wheat, when something hit the back of his antique truck.

"I was just idling along, about 20 mile an hour, getting ready for this 90-degree turn up ahead. I felt this impact and it shoved me into the steering wheel," he said. "I thought maybe the axles had fallen off."

He stopped the truck on Grain Drive and hopped out. After the dust cleared on the hot, still day, he noticed a minivan in the ditch.

"I heard a gal screaming for help, 'Save my babies.' She really had a set of vocal cords on her," Errebo said.

Over the next few minutes, the farmer and Lincoln County commissioner pulled three small children and their mother, Michele Pasley, 31, of Tescott, from the burning van. The wheat stubble field, two miles north of Westfall, also was on fire.

Two of the children, 3-year-old twins Danika and Justin Pasley, ended up at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus, in Wichita. Thursday, the hospital listed Danika in critical condition and Justin in fair condition. Justin had been taken to Ellsworth and flown to Wichita from there. Their father, Lonnie Pasley, said Danika was taken to Salina Regional Health Center and later flown to Wichita.

Late Thursday afternoon, Lonnie Pasley said Justin was due to be released. He said Danika's condition was "improving, but she's not out of the woods yet." She suffered head and lung injuries.

Loni Pasley, a 1-year-old girl, and Michele Pasley were listed by the patrol as having possible injuries and were taken to Salina Regional Health Center, but Lonnie Pasley said neither was treated. Errebo was not injured.

The Pasleys said they had visited with Errebo's wife, Marilyn, and intended to call Steve and thank him.

"She hit him, but he turned around and saved my wife and kids," Lonnie Pasley said.

The couple, and Errebo, commended the emergency workers.

Lincoln County Undersheriff Les Richards hailed Errebo as a "hero" for saving four lives.

"For a common citizen, he went way above the call of duty to help," Richards said.

The rescue took about three minutes, but in recounting the ordeal, Errebo said, "It seemed like it was in slow motion."

He scoffed at any mention of heroism.

"You're just glad they're all alive," he said. "I'm glad it worked out."

Started pulling out kids

After hopping from his truck, Errebo said it took a few seconds for the cloud of dust on the gravel road to dissipate. From about 200 feet away, he noticed the front end of the minivan was destroyed, steaming. Michele Pasley was hollering at him.

"I went around to the passenger side and there was a bunch of kids in the front seat," Errebo said. "I cleared off the busted glass around the window and started pulling kids out."

He sat the first child on the edge of a wheat stubble field, but then realized the stubble was on fire.

"I figured the catalytic converter (on the van) is what started it, maybe some dripping gas, too. Everything was happening so fast," Errebo said. "I ran the kids to the other side of the road, so they'd have a fire break."

Then he heard the mother say she had seven children.

"I said, 'You've got four more in here?' She said 'No, four are at home.' I was relieved," Errebo said.

'I can't get you out'

Only Michele Pasley remained in the van, but none of the doors would open.

"The fire really got to going. She was left in there," Errebo said.

He snapped the driver's side window off flush with the top of the door and told the woman, "I can't get you out. You're gonna have to help."

Working together, they found a way.

"I backed up, squatted down, and put my butt against the door. I told her to put her arms around my neck and lock her fingers. I walked forward and she hung on really tight," Errebo said. "When I pulled her out, the front end was in flames."

As they gathered on the road, he said, the van's tires began to explode.

"We ran back toward my wheat truck. We didn't have any communication. The only thing I knew was to go to Westfall. ... We loaded up in the truck," Errebo said.

Making the kids laugh

He was able to joke with the children, and was able to make one of them laugh.

"They were all really super kids," Errebo said.

Undersheriff Richards said farmer Don Little was in a tractor in a nearby field. Little noticed the truck parked a short distance from the minivan and saw the fire.

After visiting with Errebo, Little used his phone to call 911, Richards said. Then Little and his wife, who was in another tractor, used their discs to till a fire break into the stubble field.

Errebo took the Pasleys to the fire department in Westfall and stayed with them until EMS arrived.

After dispatchers broadcast the 911 call, Richards said he went straight to the scene, where he saw "a minivan with extensive front-end damage, fully engulfed in flames."

Richards said the crash should serve as a reminder to those traveling rural roads this time of the year.

The seashell necklace

"During harvest time, there's going to be all kinds of trucks, vehicles and farm equipment moving at all different speeds," Richards said. "Some equipment will take up the entire road. We need you to constantly be vigilant. Be a defensive driver. Be prepared."

After leaving the Pasleys in the hands of paramedics, Errebo said he delivered the last load of "the best wheat I ever cut."

And there, on the back of the truck, near the grain gates, was a seashell necklace, which he said probably came from the mini-van.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

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A Friend says....
Thank You Steve, You are a Hero
7/6/2009

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Liz says....
I am so proud to have an uncle like you!! Way to go Steve!! love you Liz
7/6/2009

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Michael Hunt says....
Way to go, Steve! Lincoln County is proud to have you here to show all of us how unselfish we should be when it comes to helping others. One piece of advice though, that we could all benefit from, is carry a cellphone, to use in case of an emergency such as this one. Emergency crews cannot help us sufficiently, without prompt notification of the emergency. Thank God that Steve was not injured in this accident, otherwise the family surely would have perished without prompt evacuation of the burning vehicle. Steve is our HOMETOWN HERO. He took immediate action to save lives, disregarding his own safety to help others in need. Steve should be awarded with a local award to show our appreciation for his contribution to the community!
7/4/2009

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nozybear says....
Way to go Steve! You are truely amazing. You didn't think of your own safety once. Wish we had alot more people like you in Lincoln County and the world. And Tim, this article is beautifully written! Wonderful work keep it up.
7/3/2009

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Ks says....
GOD Bless Kansas Farmers!!
7/3/2009

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says....
Steve Errebo is a fine example of a great citizen and human being. He is a public servant as Commissioner, He is also the local Commander of Legion post 359 Sylvan Grove. Hats off to Steve Errebo.
7/3/2009

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Peg says....
GREAT 'Through Flames and Fire' Article Tim. Nicely written. Many prayers for Danika Justin and the Pasley family! HOORAY to Steve Errebo for his unselfish act.
7/3/2009

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TX Cowboy says....
A totally inspiring story worthy of publishing in Readers Digest! Quick thinking plus a strong effort by Steve Errebo and nearby farmers helped prevent this from turning into a major tragedy. I hope everyone on farm roads learn from this. Yes, Steve, you deserve an award of some kind!
7/3/2009

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Nick says....
There should be no doubt that this is a true Hero. He Is not a fireman or policeman. He was not drafted or a volunteer. Without time or concern of his own safety he saved a family. When today's headlines are about celebrity deaths and financial stife, it is nice to know that there are acts like this that make us have hope for our society. In a small town in Kansas, a true Hero has surfaced.
7/3/2009

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Deb Falcon, Sylvan Grove says....
Wow, I would want Steve to be around if something like this ever happened to me, thank you for having the courage and confidence to do what needed to be done Steve. God Bless You!
7/3/2009

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annonymous says....
I'm glad this guy was able to get them out of the van but I'm appalled at the mother, the article said she had a 1 yr old and 2 3 yr olds in the front seat?!.. you have a mini van you can't tell me there's no room for them in the back where the belong!
7/3/2009

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Heidi says....
WOW WOW WOW, gotta say I love this story. Farmers are the absolute best!!!!!! Springing into action, brimming with common sense, and doing what needed to be done. GREAT story. Just love you guys.
7/3/2009

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Splitter says....
Way to go Steve. He is a great guy and indeed a hero. I've known him all my life, and I know he didn't even give it a second thought, that's just the kind of guy he is.
7/3/2009

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catleo says....
He is a hero in my book. He could have froze and in those few seconds lives could have been lost. I pray everyone is ok.
7/3/2009

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Char from Cave Creek, AZ says....
Kansans are at the top of the list when it comes to being helpful and polite, just like Steve Errebo
7/3/2009

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Janice Says says....
Talking about a hero, an unselfish act... Praying everyone will be ok...
7/3/2009

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Gary Oller says....
GOD bless you Steve!
7/3/2009

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