Knives save lives: David’s deadly seat belt

When you think of dangerous activities, things like skydiving, drag racing, free climbing and white-water rafting might pop into your head.

You probably don’t think something as mundane as putting on a seat belt is dangerous, but our latest installment of knives save lives is a testament that danger can strike at any moment.

In November of 2006, Kaamilya Wilson was on a routine trip in the car with her then five-year-old son David and family when disaster struck.

While putting on his seat belt, David somehow became entangled and the belt tightly wrapped around his neck. An old piece in the ABC local news featured an interview with David and his sister about the incident.

“I was trying to buckle myself and it snatched me back, so it got around my neck,” explained David.

“I was scared because he was turning colors and he couldn’t breath,” said his older sister, Alicia.

When something like that happens, panic usually sets in and it did with Kaamilya who was screaming and hollering in fear. Another passenger in the car waved down an officer passing by, but he couldn’t do anything to untangle the boy because it was too tight around his neck.

Precious time was ticking away.

That was until two men who were heading home to catch an Eagles game stopped at the scene to help out. Matthew Robinson was an electrician, so he was carrying a utility knife in the car and that’s what made the difference.

Using the knife, they cut David out of the seat belt and freed him from the clutches of death.

Although seat belts have saved more lives than they’ve taken, there’s always the possibility of something going awry, especially in a car accident.

No one in David’s family nor the passing police officer had a sharp blade readily available. Had the two motorists with a knife not passed by, there’s a good chance David would have met his end.

Always having a knife handy, even one without a belt cutter tool, could be the difference between life and death.