So many stories of courage and heroism have been emerging in the wake of the deadly Las Vegas shooting at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino which killed 59 people and injured over 500 others.
One such story is that of Tom McIntosh. McIntosh was attending the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas, along with his wife. When the shots were fired into the crowd, McIntosh and his wife attempted to get out of the line of fire by climbing over a wall. Before they could get to safety, however, Tom was shot in the leg and began bleeding badly.
"I jumped over the wall and kind of walked trying to get away but I was bleeding really bad," McIntosh told NBC's Today Show, as reported by CBN News. "By the time I got over the wall, my pants were already soaked and my shoe was full of blood."
In the midst of the chaos, a man tried to help stop the blood flow in Tom’s leg, but he didn’t know proper EMT techniques. That was when James Lawson saw Tom and rushed to help.
"Somebody tried to help me, and he wasn't really doing it right and then James came along and tied up my leg and kept me from bleeding anymore,” recalls McIntosh.
Lawson and the other man put McIntosh in a pickup truck that someone offered as transport and took him to the hospital.
McIntosh firmly believes that, without Lawson’s help, he would have bled to death. He is adamant that Lawson saved his life. Thankfully, Lawson knew what to do from years serving in the Army Reserves.
"I wouldn't have made it. I know I wouldn't have. I'm very thankful that James was there and helped me," he said.
At the time, McIntosh didn’t even know Lawson’s name, but the two were able to reunite on the Today Show. McIntosh teared up as he and Lawson shared a heartfelt hug and McIntosh said, “Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it.”
You can watch the video below.
Photo: Pedestrians on the Las Vegas Strip stop and light candles at a makeshift memorial for the victims of Sunday night's mass shooting, in front to the Bellagio, October 3, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Late Sunday night, a lone gunman killed over 50 people and injured over 500 people after he opened fire on a large crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, a three-day country music festival. The massacre is one of the deadliest mass shooting events in U.S. history.
Photo courtesy: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Publication date: October 4, 2017