Andrea Diaczok was flying from Vancouver to Calgary with her husband and son, when she received the shock of her life.
Two-year-old Julian's boot became stuck between the railing and the stairs halfway down the escalator.
“His whole boot basically disappeared,” Diaczok told local media. “The teeth bit onto his toe midway . . . I couldn't hit the stop so I started screaming for help.”
By the time a helpful stranger hit the stop button, they were only a few steps from the bottom. His parents feared the worst.
“It twisted his leg around and broke his leg, and then the entire foot of the boot disappeared in the side of the escalator,” she said.
“I didn't even know if his foot was there . . . I didn't know if there’s only a stump there at this point.”
As if the situation couldn't get anymore stressful, Diaczok was 22 weeks pregnant with their second child.
With the help of airport staff and passersby, they managed to free Julian's foot with a pair of scissors.
Luckily, the toddler escaped with cuts and bruises and a broken leg. If it hadn't been for his rubber boots, the outcome could have been a lot worse.
“He’s good but I would say he’s lucky,” she said. “I can imagine a bare foot and a little foam flip-flop. Yes, his boot got stuck, but it also gave him a little bit of protection.”
Diaczok reminded parents of the importance of escalator safety- and that it doesn't only apply to the bottom and top.
“He hops at the top, he hops at the bottom,” she said. “We make a game of it, ‘don’t touch this part, always step over.’ But I’ve never heard of (getting stuck) in the sides.”
It is recommended that children under the age of 5 only use escalators while supervised by an adult, do not sit on the steps or run their feet along the side of the steps.
As for Julian- he's now doing well and recovering from his close call!
