Daniel said. “I did what ….

Daniel said. “I did what I thought needed to be done.”

He noted that their car was the last one standing upright, but it was at a 20-degree angle. Because of that challenge, younger individuals helped some older people out of the train. Two women were trapped in the lower portion of the passenger train before Daniel and another man were able to pull open the coach’s doors.

“It wasn’t easy to open,” Daniel noted.

Joshua, who served two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marines, then made sure no one was left in that car. They started looking at the next car where Daniel discovered two trapped individuals. After Daniel opened a door to improve the air flow into the car, the rescue included Joshua and two other men shoveling gravel away so the trapped individuals could get to ladders that had been set up so they could climb out of the train.

With emergency personnel responding to the scene, the Hutchinsons then observed the response to the tragedy. They stayed at the scene until taking the last bus to the Chester High School gym.

Daniel said the communities of Chester and Joplin were outstanding as far as providing pizza, sandwiches, fruit and beverages. He said one Girl Scout troop gave quilts to the stranded passengers.

Daniel’s wife and Joshua’s girlfriend drove from Wolf Point and arrived in Chester at about 10 p.m. on Saturday. The family then returned to Wolf Point at about 4 a.m.

“I was pretty keyed up and fresh,” Daniel said. “Let’s go home and get in our own beds.”