My Brother’s in the Dryer!

Dustin Tarbell, 7, and his little brother David, 4 years old, were at their baby sitter’s house. Suddenly, Dustin heard screams from the clothes dryer. The machine was on, and David was tumbling around inside!

Just before, Dustin and David were playing hide-and-seek with friends. There were no clothes in the dryer, and David got inside to hide. Then another child closed the door and turned the dryer on. Dustin pulled open the door of the dryer and reached inside. Usually a dryer stops when someone opens the door, but this machine was broken, and it kept turning as David screamed.

Dustin grabbed his brother’s shirt. He tried to pull him out, but he couldn’t. He felt his arms twist, but he hung on. Then Dustin heard his arms crack. He still didn’t let go. Finally the dryer stopped, and Dustin pulled David out.

Dustin went to the hospital. He had two broken arms. But he smiled as he hugged his little brother. Kim and Robin Tarbell, the boys’ parents, said they were very proud of their son Dustin. David said, “Dustin’s a superhero!”

Later, the baby sitter tried to fix the dryer. He was a strong man. He tried to stop the dryer with his hands, but he couldn’t stop it. Nobody could understand how a big, strong man couldn’t stop the dryer, but a 7-year-old boy could. Everyone said, “It’s a miracle.”