Florida firefighters build bond with 3-year-old girl after truck accident
Three years after Florida firefighters saved a critically injured 3-year-old girl who had been accidentally run over by a truck, the crew and her family have built a lasting bond.
Lt. Marcus Gombs of Seminole County Fire described the scene they encountered upon arrival.
“We got the call that there was a little girl that was potentially under a car. And when we got there, it was just a chaotic scene with just seeing a mom that’s holding her little girl,” Gombs said.
Lila Pagan was intubated and in a coma after the accident. Her mother, Pamela Pagan, recalled the fear she felt and her efforts to stay with her daughter.
“I did not think that she would make it to the hospital … I fought really hard to try to get into the ambulance with her,” Pamela Pagan said.
Gombs prayed with Pamela before Lila was transported to the hospital, where doctors stabilized her condition.
“Lieutenant Marcus Gombs stopped and prayed with me … He prayed for me and with me and for Lila,” Pagan said. “I got to the hospital where they came out and told me that she was stable.”
The firefighters continued to support the Pagan family after the accident, attending birthdays, Christmas celebrations, and other milestones. They even gave Lila a nickname.
“That’s Babygirl. Anytime they come, that’s Baby,” said Cross Ferrentino of Seminole County Fire. “Since then, just our relationship started to grow and kept going.”
For the firefighters, calls like Lila’s are among the most difficult, but seeing her recovery has been a rare and rewarding experience.
“Now she’s over here running around, smiling and having a good time today,” Gombs said.
Ferrentino shared how the Pagan family has become like family to the crew and how Lila’s recovery has stayed with him.
“When I passed my paramedic test … Pam was the first one to reach out, say, ‘Hey, I’m so proud of you,'” Ferrentino said. “That impacted me. Hey, I’m going to do the best I can do no matter what.”
He added, “I will be there at the wedding when she gets married in about 30 years, and I got to make sure I approve of the guy, too.”
Pagan expressed her gratitude for the firefighters who saved her daughter and emphasized the importance of keeping them in Lila’s life.
“Sometimes we take for granted the amazing firefighters and paramedics we have,” Pagan said.
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