TAMPA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County Sanitation worker is being called a hero after his quick thinking saved a 7-year-old boy from a near-fatal accident.
Elias Quezada says he was playing in his grandmother's yard when he decided to hide inside of her garbage can.
Moments later when a garbage truck arrived he realized that was not a good idea.
Quezada told Bay News 9 he is fully aware of how much danger he was in when the truck driver picked up the can and tossed into the bed of the truck while he was still inside.
"I think I was most scared about me turning into apple sauce or fruit punch," said Quezada.
That's what Elias' grandmother told him would have occurred had it not been for the quick thinking of the driver, Waldo Fidele
"I was very scared to see that, " said Carmen Salazar. "See him there and what could have happened."
Fidele who has been working as a sanitation worker for 11 years says he spotted Elias immediately when he fell into his truck via his camera.
"There was a button that said stop and he pressed it," adds Quezada.
Because of so many blind spots — Fidele says he and other Hillsborough County drivers are trained to look at the cameras to avoid accidents like the close call with Elias.
"It made everybody cry because its the first time I've seen an incident like that," added Fidele.
Days later Elias reconnected with Fidele to just to say thank you for saving his life.
During the last Hillsborough County of Commissioners meeting Waldo Fidele was also lauded by the board for his heroic efforts.