Charlie Toetoe hails Matthew Denton (right) as a superhero for saving his son Kharlo-Rae Pirini-Kiel's life. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Charlie Toetoe hails Matthew Denton (right) as a superhero for saving his son Kharlo-Rae Pirini-Kiel's life. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Charlie Toetoe says his 6-year-old son Kharlo-Rae Pirini-Kiel wouldn’t be alive to see the new year had it not been for a stranger who jumped out of his car to revive his badly injured child.
After nearly a week of trying to track down the mystery man, Toetoe finally gotto meet and thank army enlistee Matthew Denton, 21, after the Herald facilitated a reunion at his home on Sunday afternoon.
Kharlo-Rae was playing with his cousins by a pool in front of the house when a car backed out of the driveway and hit him on December 27.
The Manurewa schoolboy was pinned under the car and neighbours rushed to help him.
It took 12 people to lift the car and pull Kharlo-Rae out, Toetoe said.
“That’s when I start doing compressions, then started performing CPR. When he started talking we knew he’s out of it, but the whole thing was definitely terrifying,” Denton said.
Mum Katarina Pirini-Kiel, Kharlo-Rae Pirini-Kiel, Matthew Denton and Charlie Toetoe meet for the first time since Matthew came to Kharlo's rescue after he was run over by a car. Photo/ Brett Phibbs
“I never ever drive through this street but did so that day only because the motorway traffic was bad and I did a detour, it’s definitely a blessing that I did.”
Denton, who has enlisted to join the New Zealand Army and does so next month, said it was also fortunate that he had just graduated from a Limited Service Volunteer course run by the New Zealand Defence Force, where he learned first aid.
“So how to perform CPR was still fresh on my mind,” he said.
Matthew Denton brings gifts for Kharlo-Rae Pirini-Kiel on New Year's Day. Photo/ Brett Phibbs
Toetoe said his son was not breathing at the time when Denton arrived, and said people were standing around because no one there knew CPR.
Kharlo-Rae’s extensive injuries included a broken collarbone and five broken ribs. He was discharged from Auckland’s Starship Children’s Hospital only on December 31.
“Matthew, he gave my son the gift of life. I don’t think Kharlo would have been around to see the new year if not for Matthew,” Toetoe said.
“What he did after coming from nowhere, it’s more than heroics... mate, Matthew’s a superhero.”
However, Denton brushed off the praise and compliments, saying he was no hero.
“As weird as it is to say, I don’t think I’m a hero. It’s something that anyone would have done and I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to,” Denton said.
Kharlo’s mother Katarina Pirini-Kiel, 26, said she should have thanked Matthew on the day of the accident but didn’t do so because her mind “went blank” that day.
“It’s just so great to finally meet Matthew, he saved my son’s life. That day my mind went blank, it was really traumatic for me as Kharlo’s mum to see that,” she said.
“We’re just so lucky that Matthew was driving past at the time because he was able to do what he did. He’s such a hero.”
Denton is South African-born and moved to New Zealand with his family 15 years ago.
His mother Claire Denton believed it was “guardian angels” who led him down the Manurewa Road that day.
Denton and his parents brought a gift bag that included books, a teddy bear, and chocolates for Kharlo-Rae.
