Barrington resident Trevor James wants to make it clear that he was not the only Good Samaritan who sprung to the aid of 11-year-old Dominic Szymanski, after he was struck by a Metra train a little less than a week ago.

“It was so cool that everyone was so helpful. There were two to three other guys that were there first. The rescue workers were amazing. I am super proud to say I’m a resident of Barrington. We have amazing people,” James said.

James recalled the events on Friday, March 15. He was working at Salon Shea, 124 E. Main, where he is a stylist. The salon is located near where the accident occurred.

“A guy ran in the back of the salon when I was in the middle of shampooing.  He said ‘A kid was hit by a train; grab all the towels.’ I grabbed all the towels I had and saw him bleeding very bad,” James said.

“I was in survival mode and God came into my head and said ‘Go help.’ I was praying the entire time over the boy,” he said.

When James got there, another man had already placed a tourniquet, what looked like a belt, on the boy’s leg to stop the bleeding.

“That guy was an angel,” James said. 

“I covered  him with a bunch of towels. Then I went back to the salon for more and saw my down jacket and covered him in the jacket,” he said. James also used his belt as a tourniquet. 

“God bless every single person there who helped that kid. I was the third or fourth guy there. A minute later, there were about 10 service people,” James recalled. 

James recently became a father and said seeing the boy after the accident touched him deeper as he had concern over the boy’s mother. 

He said Dominic was conscious after the accident. 

“The hardest thing about the whole thing was him looking at you in the eyes and asking if he is going to die and saying he doesn’t want to die,” recalled James.

Fortunately, Dominic is doing much better now and hopes to return to Hough Street School soon, where he is in fifth grade. 

James received a call from Dominic’s mother.

“She is one of the sweetest women I ever spoke to in my life. She was thanking me, but I wish I had the names of the others who helped,” James said. 

James said, since the accident, he has heard from many people who say they would have froze in the situation.

“About half the people would have froze and the other half would have helped. The chemical reaction in your body is different. But when you hear the voice of God, you need to help him immediately,” James said.