Rising from the fire to save a life
How blaze survivor found purpose in rescuing boy from jaws of death
Firefighter finds purpose after living through blaze that killed his partner

By Johnny Johnson

Published: April 11, 2008

RUSH SPRINGS — Two years ago, volunteer firefighters Larry Joe Crabb and Destry Horton were battling a fierce wildfire near Duncan when things went bad.

Their truck became stuck in an area thick with heavy smoke, and before they knew it, the fire had overwhelmed them.

Both men were severely burned. Horton later died from his injuries. Crabb survived.

It's a story that Jennifer McClure has always been fascinated with, but it wasn't until Sunday that she really stopped to mull all the aspects of survival in the face of adversity — concepts such as fate, destiny, purpose and the metaphorical notion of unfinished work.

Sunday was the day fire survivor Larry Joe Crabb threw himself between McClure's 7-year-old son and the 60-pound pit bull terrier mix that was mauling the child.

"I always knew there was some awesome reason that God saved him from that fire,” McClure said. "And this weekend, he saved my little boy's life.”

BLAKE McClure was at his grandmother's house Sunday when he decided to go outside to ride his Razor scooter, his mother said.

As he was coming down a hill on the short residential street, Jennifer McClure said, a pit bull terrier mix in a neighboring yard jumped a fence and started attacking Blake.

"He fought it and fought it and fought it,” Jennifer McClure said.

But the boy didn't stand much of a chance as the animal's massive jaws latched onto his head.

It was at that time that that Crabb, who had been playing basketball nearby, stormed up the street, and armed with a big stick, began to beat the dog off the boy, Blake's mother said.

"That dog never got him down,” she said. "But you know exactly what would have happened if Larry Joe hadn't been there.”

Crabb was able to subdue the animal and get Blake to the side and to safety, but as he did so, Jennifer McClure said, the dog turned his attention to Crabb.

"I don't think I could have gotten away.”

Physically, Blake is going to be OK, his mother said. He has lacerations on top of his head and above his right eye. He also has bruises on his arm.

But the boy's mother said she's more concerned with her son's emotional state.

"He's having some trouble sleeping,” she said. "He says that when he closes his eyes he can see that dog attacking him again.”

When he talks about it to his mother, he makes it clear how helpless he really was.

"He says, ‘Momma, all I could do was kick it and fight as hard as I could. But if that man hadn't come to help me, I don't think I could have gotten away.'”

His mother shudders at the thought of Crabb not being there.

"We are a very Christian people, and we believe that people are here for a purpose,” she said. "And my son would not have made it without him.”

After a near-death experience that took the life of his partner, Crabb considers each day a blessing. And that's why he tries to be worthy of that gift every day, he said Tuesday.

Shortly after Horton died, Crabb said he couldn't help but question the fairness of it all — why he lived and his partner died.

"I didn't understand,” he said. "And it was the million-dollar question that no one seemed to have an answer for.”

Crabb still has some scars, but he said he has made a full recovery, although he said it has been a long process.

"For me, helping people makes it all worth it,” Crabb said, pointing out that he still volunteers as a firefighter, a first responder and as a reserve deputy.

"I just like helping people. It doesn't matter if your place is on fire, your house was broken into or you are sick. It's just what I love to do.”

Rush Springs Police Chief Wayne Munn said the dog, which had proof of rabies vaccination, was taken into a 10-day quarantine and the owner was issued a citation for having a dog at-large.

Jennifer McClure, who says her family loves dogs and has an Australian shepherd, wants the police to do more to protect children from vicious animals.

Rush Springs actually has an ordinance banning pit bulls already in place, but city officials said the ordinance can't be enforced unless state law is changed to allow the ban of specific breeds.

"It always has to come down to a child getting hurt, maimed or killed to bring attention to the problem,” Jennifer McClure said. "How many children does this have to happen to?

"There's a lot we can't protect our children from, but until these dogs are out of the city limits, we can't even protect our children from playing outside anymore.”

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