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Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

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  • #1

    Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

    -- Cleeland Injured at Accident Scene --
    Sun May 30, 2004 --from FFMastermind.com

    The Boston Globe reports free-agent TE Cam Cleeland (Rams) came upon an accident scene recently. He didn't drive by or place an emergency call from his mobile phone, as perhaps many would have. Cleeland pulled over and did unto another what he would have done unto him. Rather than wait for the Big Lake Fire Department, Cleeland attempted to fight the blaze with an extinguisher, state troopers said, and while trying to remove the car's air bag from the driver's face, he suffered another injury -- severe burns to the hands with which he makes his living. Fortunately, Cleeland is still alive, and apparently in the days since his rescue attempt has been thinking more about the driver, who died, and his family than about himself. Rams spokesman Artis Twyman said he spoke last week with Cleeland, who is unsigned, and the tight end requested that the Rams not put out a news release and decline interviews on his behalf. "Cam was really shaken up about it when I talked to him," Twyman said. "I tried to talk to him but I could tell he didn't want to talk about it too much or go in depth, out of respect for the family. "He said it's something you really don't want to experience in life. It must have been really bad; I could hear him getting choked up."
    I don't even know how to react to this. Words can't express what I've been thinking.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

    Wow ... I can't even imagine. My thoughts go out to him and the family of the driver. You did all you could Cam.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

      what a good guy, all te best to himself and the family of the driver.
      The Breakfast Club. You want cheese with that?

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

        That's an amazing story about an amazing guy.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

          I agree Zigzag, hard to write what I feel after reading this. Words would not do it justice. My familys prayers go out to the drivers family and of course for Cam and his family.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Cleeland: Unbelievable Story

            I hope he can get over the nightmares. He was a pretty good TE. I hope we can sign him too.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Cleeland: More on the story

              Motorist died upon arrival at hospital

              By John Clayton
              ESPN.com

              Athletes commonly react on instinct. Unsigned Rams tight end Cam Cleeland risked his life on May 23 to help save someone else's.

              Cleeland, 28, and his wife, Mindy, were driving along a road they travel every day in Mount Vernon, Wash. He spotted a fire off the road near a stand of trees and soon realized a passenger was in a burning car and needed help.

              Cleeland, speaking publicly about the accident for the first time, described his courageous but futile attempt to save the life of Timothy Roth, a 22-year-old motorist who was trapped in the front seat of his burning 1994 Ford Taurus.

              "It was an unbelievable situation," Cleeland said. "I was coming back from a softball game, and driving along Little Mountain Road. I was coming around the road and there was a car. And there was a fire."

              Cleeland's wife, Mindy, dialed 911 on their cell phone while Cam rushed to the car. The fire was getting worse and Cleeland reacted.

              The car was lodged and elevated between two 100-foot fir trees.

              "The bottom of the window was eye-level for me," the 6-foot-5 Cleeland said. "He must have flown over the ditch and landed in the trees. I tried to rip the door off, but it was tough because the car was pinned between two trees."

              Cars passed by and some older witnesses were around, but only Cleeland had the youth and courage to react. It was going to take time for the fire trucks and police to arrive.

              "I was throwing dirt on him and trying to put out the fire," Cleeland said. "I also tried to keep talking to him. He could only nod his head. I was panicking. I got to thinking that this car could blow up."

              The air bag in the Taurus opened, and Cleeland had to pull it away from Roth's face because the bag was on fire.

              "He was pinned in there," Cleeland said. "I pushed the air bag away from his face and tried to keep talking to him to help him as best I [could]."

              Another person soon arrived with a fire extinguisher. He and Cleeland worked to stop the flame. Soon, the fire truck arrived. It took 20 minutes to get Roth out of the car with the Jaws of Life.

              Roth died once he arrived at the hospital.

              Cleeland and his wife have been shaken up since the incident. There were no injuries to Cleeland's hands, but he did suffer some smoke inhalation. addition, there was an emotional toll.

              "I still have nightmares," Cleeland said.

              Professionally, Cleeland hopes to either re-sign soon with the Rams or join the Seahawks or Packers. Cleeland was scheduled to visit Green Bay this week but he wanted to wait because of the emotions of the accident.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Cleeland: More on the story

                Originally posted by MartialRAM
                "I still have nightmares," Cleeland said.
                I can only imagine.

                What a courageous thing this man did.

                Comment

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                Related Topics

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                • Mykel
                  Cam Cleeland, A modern day hero
                  by Mykel
                  http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=1813776


                  Motorist died upon arrival at hospital

                  By John Clayton
                  ESPN.com

                  Athletes commonly react on instinct. Unsigned Rams tight end Cam Cleeland risked his life on May 23 to help save someone else's.




                  Cleeland, 28, and his wife, Mindy, were driving along a road they travel every day in Mount Vernon, Wash. He spotted a fire off the road near a stand of trees and soon realized a passenger was in a burning car and needed help.


                  Cleeland, speaking publicly about the accident for the first time, described his courageous but futile attempt to save the life of Timothy Roth, a 22-year-old motorist who was trapped in the front seat of his burning 1994 Ford Taurus.


                  "It was an unbelievable situation," Cleeland said. "I was coming back from a softball game, and driving along Little Mountain Road. I was coming around the road and there was a car. And there was a fire."


                  Cleeland's wife, Mindy, dialed 911 on their cell phone while Cam rushed to the car. The fire was getting worse and Cleeland reacted.


                  The car was lodged and elevated between two 100-foot fir trees.


                  "The bottom of the window was eye-level for me," the 6-foot-5 Cleeland said. "He must have flown over the ditch and landed in the trees. I tried to rip the door off, but it was tough because the car was pinned between two trees."


                  Cars passed by and some older witnesses were around, but only Cleeland had the youth and courage to react. It was going to take time for the fire trucks and police to arrive.


                  "I was throwing dirt on him and trying to put out the fire," Cleeland said. "I also tried to keep talking to him. He could only nod his head. I was panicking. I got to thinking that this car could blow up."


                  The air bag in the Taurus opened, and Cleeland had to pull it away from Roth's face because the bag was on fire.


                  "He was pinned in there," Cleeland said. "I pushed the air bag away from his face and tried to keep talking to him to help him as best I [could]."


                  Another person soon arrived with a fire extinguisher. He and Cleeland worked to stop the flame. Soon, the fire truck arrived. It took 20 minutes to get Roth out of the car with the Jaws of Life.


                  Roth died once he arrived at the hospital.


                  Cleeland and his wife have been shaken up since the incident. There were no injuries to Cleeland's hands, but he did suffer some smoke inhalation. addition, there was an emotional toll.


                  "I still have nightmares," Cleeland said.


                  Professionally,...
                  -06-02-2004, 09:43 AM
                • RamWraith
                  Cleeland tires to rescue
                  by RamWraith
                  ESPN.com's John Clayton reports free agent TE Cam Cleeland (Rams) risked his life to try and rescue a 22-year old motorist from a burning car Sunday, May 23, that had been lodged roadside between two 100-foot trees in Mount Vernon, Washington. The victim, Timothy Roth, died once he arrived at the hospital. "It was an unbelievable situation," Cleeland said. "I was coming back from a softball game, and driving along Little Mountain Road. I was coming around the road and there was a car. And there was a fire." Cleeland did not suffer any injuries and was only treated for smoke inhalation after the incident.
                  -06-01-2004, 03:39 PM
                • RamDez
                  In a different arena, Cleeland did his best
                  by RamDez
                  As a tight end, Cameron Cleeland is best known for what once was done to him and for what he hasn't been able to do. He sustained damage to one of his eyes during an infamous training camp hazing incident his rookie season with New Orleans and has had difficulty avoiding injury since.

                  In six seasons with the Saints, Patriots (2002), and Rams (last year), he has played in every game only twice because of an assortment of injuries, among them three to his Achilles' tendons.

                  Not since he caught 54 passes in 1998 after arriving as a second-round pick out of the University of Washington has Cleeland been on the field long enough to meet the expectations.

                  But when Judgment Day arrives, Cleeland will be able to say that, for one moment at least, he did what he should have done.

                  Around 8:45 p.m. last Sunday, Timothy Roth's car struck a tree near the intersection of Little Mountain and Amick roads, southeast of Mount Vernon, Wash., which is about 70 miles north of Seattle. Roth's 1994 Ford Taurus became engulfed in flames.

                  He had to be airlifted to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, where he died at around 3 a.m. the next day from burns, according to the Washington State Patrol. Roth was 22.

                  When Cleeland came upon the accident scene, he didn't drive by or place an emergency call from his mobile phone, as perhaps many would have.
                  Cleeland, who is from nearby Sedro Woolley, pulled over and did unto another what he would have done unto him.

                  Rather than wait for the Big Lake Fire Department, Cleeland attempted to fight the blaze with an extinguisher, state troopers said, and while trying to remove the car's air bag from Roth's face, he suffered another injury -- severe burns to the hands with which he makes his living.

                  Fortunately, Cleeland is still alive, and apparently in the days since his rescue attempt has been thinking more about Roth and his family than about himself.

                  Rams spokesman Artis Twyman said he spoke last week with Cleeland, who is unsigned, and the tight end requested that the Rams not put out a news release and decline interviews on his behalf.

                  "Cam was really shaken up about it when I talked to him," Twyman said.
                  "I tried to talk to him but I could tell he didn't want to talk about it too much or go in depth, out of respect for the family.

                  "He said it's something you really don't want to experience in life. It must have been really bad; I could hear him getting choked up."

                  A memorial service for Roth was held yesterday in Langley, Wash.

                  As for Cleeland, he may have been a Patriot for only a season, but he will be a hero for the rest of his life....
                  -05-30-2004, 06:30 AM
                • AlphaRam
                  Cam Cleeland
                  by AlphaRam
                  I am hoping that some of my fellow Rams fans can help me out. Do any of you know where I can find some pictures of Cam Cleeland? He played tight end from 2003-05.

                  I did a Google search but did not find pictures large enough to help me see the details (shoes, gloves, etc.).

                  Any help is appreciated.

                  GO RAMS!!!
                  -12-05-2006, 05:34 PM
                • RamDez
                  Building from adversity
                  by RamDez
                  Building from adversity
                  By Jim Thomas
                  Of the Post-Dispatch
                  08/02/2004






                  MACOMB, Ill. - How many times have you driven by an accident, only to notice the police, an ambulance, or another motorist already on the scene?

                  But what if that weren't the case? And what if the vehicle in question was on fire?

                  That situation confronted Rams tight end Cameron Cleeland in late May in Mount Vernon, Wash.

                  "It was on a back road right next to my house, in my hometown," Cleeland said. "The young man had flown through a stop sign at an intersection, and hit a tree, probably going 50-plus miles an hour. I was the first one on the scene."

                  Cleeland's wife, Mindy, was in the car and immediately called 911.

                  "The car was on fire," Cleeland said. "He was trapped inside. I tried to help him out as best I could, tried to get him out of there."

                  Cleeland threw dirt on the driver, Timothy Roth, in an effort to douse the fire. He tried to keep Roth talking. Finally, another motorist arrived with a fire extinguisher, and then the fire department.

                  But all those efforts went for naught.

                  "He ended up passing away that night," Cleeland said. "The fire department - we all tried to help him. He made it to the hospital, and his family had an opportunity to say goodbye before he passed away. It was really hard. Hard dealing with."

                  Roth was 22. The events of that day, May 23, caused nightmares for Cleeland, a seven-year NFL veteran from the University of Washington. And a shift in perspective.

                  "It's something that will be with me forever, watching something like that," Cleeland said. "You don't realize how lucky you are and how fortunate we are to have what we have. Even when you're out here (at practice), I try to tell myself, 'Man, I'm lucky that I'm out here.'

                  "Because you just never know. I consider myself a Christian. The Lord has a plan. Your time is when your time is, and you've just got to take advantage of it."

                  With that in mind, Cleeland has approached his second Rams training camp with renewed vigor. He has missed the last three practice days in Macomb with a hamstring injury, but had looked impressive early in camp.

                  "He's a very talented guy, and he's got terrific receiving skills," coach Mike Martz said. "The one thing that he was inconsistent on, and that he's completely established out here, is the physical aspect of it. He has been outstanding (blocking) in the running game.

                  "I'm a little disappointed he's gotten injured, but we'll get him back. It doesn't sound like it's anything significant."

                  For a while during the offseason, Martz and others at Rams Park wondered if Cleeland was interested in coming
                  ...
                  -08-03-2004, 12:18 PM
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