Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was said to have tears in his eyes after he accidentally injured a 10-year-old boy in Birkdale last night. Gerrard was driving his Bentley past a school, when the boy, Jamie Hellawell, ran out from from between two parked cars. The accident happened at the time schoolchildren are leaving for the day, at 3.15pm. The boy sustained a broken leg and was taken to hospital in Ormskirk, before being later transferred to Alder Hey Children’s hospital in Liverpool. He may need an operation on the leg, which is broken in two places.
An eye-witness to the accident, which took place outside the Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, told the Liverpool Daily Post: “There were two cars parked outside the school and the little boy ran out in between them and ran into the side of a big black car. It looked like he got hit by the wing mirror and was knocked to the ground. Stevie Gerrard stopped the car and got out and ran over to the boy.” The witness said Gerrard was visibly shaken: “He was kneeling over him and you could see there were tears in Stevie’s eyes. He was really upset to see the little lad like that, but it wasn’t Stevie’s fault, he wasn’t travelling fast. The lad ran into him and there was nothing he could have done. Steve was really pale and shocked.”
Soon the emergency services arrived, according to the witness, and Gerrard stayed until they did: “He stayed with the lad while the paramedics were treating him and giving him oxygen before they moved him. Then the police came and Stevie and a friend who was with him went into the back of a police van for about 10 minutes and he came out holding a form.”
Gerrard has to attend a police station as a matter of procedure now to show his documents such as his driving licence and his insurance.
The boy’s grandfather, Reg Rogan, also spoke to the Daily Post: “I didn’t see the accident, but I could make out from a distance that something was going on, then someone said it was Jamie who had been knocked down and I rushed up to him.”
When he got there, Mr Rogan saw the footballer, who has two children of his own, doing what he could to help the youngster: “Stevie Gerrard was kneeling down beside him, holding his hand trying to comfort him and telling him he would be okay. He was very considerate and you could see that he was shocked about what had happened. Then the paramedics arrived and they took over and the police came and took some statements about what had happened.”
Mr Rogan also told the newspaper that Jamie was a Manchester United fan. Doctors will decide today if Jamie needs an operation on the leg.
Gerrard’s spokesman said: “Steven was driving very slowly through an area of Birkdale when a young boy ran out and hit the side of his car. Steven comforted the boy and stayed with him until the paramedics arrived. There were apparently several eye-witnesses who saw the accident. Steven later attended a police station where he produced his driving documents as a matter of routine and made a statement about the accident.”
Gerrard is planning to visit the boy in the next few days.
The fact that stevie g cried and stayed until the midecs arrived show that he is a compassionate guy and a responsible one too. If only other road users was just as responsible int heir actions.
Nevertheless, keep the spirit up, stevie g.