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Caught on cam: Man saves boy from flying puck at minor league hockey game
On April 11, toward the end of a Cleveland Monsters minor league hockey game, a puck flew from the playing ice toward the area where Nasir Davis was sitting with his family. Video: WJW handout, @ASIAFROMAKRON / TikTok
The quick thinking of a hockey fan in Ohio saved a young boy from grave injury at a game earlier this month.
On April 11, toward the end of a Cleveland Monsters minor league hockey game, a puck flew from the playing ice toward the area where Nasir Davis was sitting with his family.
In a matter of moments, the puck came hurtling towards Nasir. It happened fast – but not fast enough for Andrew Podolak, who was in the next seat.
"I saw it soaring on through, and my first instinct was just to cover up. I had a couple of other kids sitting behind me as well, so I just tried jumping in front of it," Podolak told WJW FOX 8 News.
Podolak said he was able to deflect the puck off his hand and send it over top of the boy to fall behind them.
The boy’s mother, Asia Davis, happened to be recording when it all happened.
The boy looks stunned while his mother screams, ‘Oh my god!’
Video of the moment a man saved a young boy from a flying hockey puck.
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She shared her video on TikTok, including a slow-motion version that she narrated. She said her son had chips of ice in his hair after the puck whizzed dangerously close to his face.
"That thing is a flying TBI," Davis says in her video, referencing the type of injury her son could have sustained if it were to have hit him.
"I feel sick when I think about it because I had the reaction time of a sloth," she added lightheartedly.
She told WJW it took her a moment to realize what had happened because she had her eyes closed.
"This dude literally saved my son’s life. He prevented a life-changing event from happening," she said.
Asia Davis and Andrew Podolak speaking to WJW.
Asia reportedly thanked Podolak in person but wanted to do more, so the Cleveland Monsters helped reunite them at another game. They all took part in the ceremonial puck drop.
The Monsters are the top minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
This story was reported from Detroit.