Veteran dies saving Little League kids after car drives onto field
Little League fields are supposed to be a safe haven.
For as long as baseball has been around, kids go and play ball — it’s as American as apple pie.
In today’s world, however, many preconceived notions have been shattered.
For example, what was supposed to be a fun day at a ballpark park in Maine on Friday turned tragic.
Sixty-eight-year old Douglas Parkhurst, a Vietnam War veteran, was near a group of children playing baseball when he noticed a car driving erratically on the field.
The suspected driver, Carol Sharrow, was out of control.
With more than 200 people in the stands and the players still on the field, Parkhurst began pushing the kids out of the way, according to the U.K. Daily Mail.
As the car drove off the field, it struck and killed Parkhurst.
Justin Clifton was playing basketball on a nearby court, and he saw the entire episode unfold.
Clifton told News Center Maine what he witnessed.
“I saw the car pull out of the gate right over there,” he said, “and this guy had some kids with him. After the car got off the field, (the driver) came to the gate and the older guy pushed the kids right out of the way. He took the hit for the kids.”
Parkhurst’s actions were certainly heroic. It turns out that he was giving back for an awful mistake.
In 1968, he hit and killed a 4-year old child with his car. In 2013, he took responsibility and admitted that he had been drinking.
In his confession, Parkhurst wrote, “I can’t change anything, but I hope this apology will be accepted and I beg for forgiveness.”
By all accounts, he went on to live an honorable life, including serving his country in the military.
Witness Diana Bittner posted about what she saw at the baseball game on Facebook.
“I stood there in horror as this crazy woman, tires smoking, raced up and down the road then drove right onto the ball field,” she wrote. “Kids screaming and running for their lives. They tried to close the huge metal gate to prevent her from leaving and she smashed right through it.”
“That poor man was trying to help close the gate and went flying onto the street. It was a scene I will never forget,” she added. “I’m so grateful she didn’t hurt anyone else, but everyone there I’m sure were all as traumatized as I was”
“Just horrible and so sad for this man and his family.”
Parkhurst put the lives of children above his own and paid the ultimate price.
Maine police are still trying to determine the suspected driver’s motives, though Sharrow has been charged with manslaughter.
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