Man dies saving girlfriend's daughter, 4, from path of oncoming pickup truck

PUBLISHED: 14:42 EST, 10 September 2012 | UPDATED: 15:31 EST, 10 September 2012

A man has died saving his girlfriend's four-year-old daughter by pushing her out of the way of an oncoming pickup truck and taking the brunt of the force himself.

Edward Cordwell, Jr, from Whitman, Massachusetts, was taking the youngster for a ride on her bicycle on Sunday when they were ploughed down by 46-year-old Richard C. Brown.

Witnesses recounted seeing Brown's 2004 Dodge Ram swerve around an SUV that had stopped and into the path of Cordwell and the girl, knocking them down.

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Close: Edward Cordwell Jr., 38, died after pushing his girlfriend's four-year-old daughter, pictured, out of the way of an oncoming truck and taking the brunt of the vehicle's force

'I actually heard the impact,' resident Rick Field told Fox 25. 'A car stopped, the truck went around the SUV, never even saw the people.

'The father - or whoever was with the little girl - pushed the bike back and saved her life and he took the brunt of the impact.'

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Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno was at his nearby home when he heard the crash and bolted outside. He immediately summoned additional help, including two MedFlight helicopters.

Cordwell was bleeding profusely, unresponsive, unconscious and had life-threatening airway conditions, police said in a statement.

Family: Cordwell had been in a three-year relationship with her mother and the girl called him 'Daddy'

Mother: Cordwell was out alone with the daughter of his girlfriend, Seanna Crawford, pictured

Family: Cordwell, from Whitman, Massachusetts, had been in a relationship with the girl's mother, Seanna Crawford (right), for three years and the youngster called him 'Daddy'

Horror: The youngster's bicycle was crumpled under the pickup truck and she remains in serious condition

'Due to the nature and seriousness of his injuries, he was not stable enough to fly,' Grenno said, and instead he was taken by ambulance to Brockton Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The girl, whose pink bike was found crumpled under the truck, was unconscious at the scene but regained consciousness and was speaking before she was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital.

She remains in serious but stable condition.

Although Cordwell was not her biological father, the youngster called him 'Daddy'. He had been in a three-year relationship with her mother, Seanna Crawford.

'It was quite obvious he took the direct impact of the vehicle,' Grenno said. 'I think this guy's an actual hero because there could’ve been two people killed by this.'

Debris: Cordwell was bleeding profusely and never regained consciousness after the crash

Scene: Neighbours, including the local fire chief, heard the crash and immediately ran outside to help

He went on: 'There were bystanders all over the place. A lot of people came out of their doors and stopped their cars and such. There were quite a few good Samaritans.'

The driver told police he did not see the man and child, and did not have time to stop. Police are looking into whether he was using his mobile phone at the time of the deadly crash. He has not been charged.

Residents hailed Cordwell as a hero and gathered around a small memorial near the crash site.

A nearby resident told WHDH: 'I think it’s great that he saved her for his own life. He saved her and that’s why this is going up there, because he’s a hero.'

Questions: Police are investigating whether Richard Brown, pictured, was using his phone when he hit them

Probe: Police are looking into the crash but witnesses said the truck swerved around a stationary vehicle

The crash is under investigation by Whitman police, the State Police reconstruction team and the Plymouth County sheriff’s department.

Police said they have interviewed more than 20 witnesses and plan to look at the driver's mobile phone on Monday.

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Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

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Comments (9)

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A true hero. We hear every day horrible stories about abusive boyfriends and this man was a real man. A true hero. May he rest in peace. A father is someone who steps up to the plate and he did.

- Shish Kabab , Belmont, United States, 11/9/2012 01:40

Click to rate Rating 9

Now that's a father biological or not.

- Southerntwinb , Usa, 11/9/2012 00:57

Click to rate Rating 34

How terribly sad! We read so many articles about parents who kill or injure their own children and this man gives his life for his stepdaughter. What a tremendous sacrifice he's made! Best thoughts for mom and the little girl as she recovers!

- Libby USA , brooklyn park, 11/9/2012 00:32

Click to rate Rating 29

Breaks my heart. He was a good guy.

- Nancy , Washington D.C., United States, 11/9/2012 00:27

Click to rate Rating 25

I live in the next town over. Poor family, I hope the precious little girl makes a full recovery. That being said, the drivers here are horrendous. I've been In a dozen accidents, none were my fault. My husband was hit on his motorcycle, hit doing his crossing guard duty at a local school and hit turning into our dive way. It sounds like this driver was behind a vehicle that stopped for this man and girl. He did not want to wait ( not knowing why the other vehicle had stopped) and went around him hitting them both. What was so important you could not wait 20 seconds?

- labgirl , Boston, 10/9/2012 23:41

Click to rate Rating 32

i live in whitman but this story would be heartbreaking no matter where it happened. RIP eddie, i didn't know you or your family but my thoughts and prayers are with them and everyone else who loves you xxx

- lesley elizabeth , south of sanity mass usa, 10/9/2012 23:28

Click to rate Rating 31

What a good man and that little one will miss this true gentle man.

- artdeco88 , St Annes, 10/9/2012 23:08

Click to rate Rating 53

RIP. A real man and a hero.

- oldhack , Mijas Spain, 10/9/2012 22:15

Click to rate Rating 100

What a true gentleman. Rest in peace.

- Katiel , Nottingham, 10/9/2012 21:15

Click to rate Rating 135

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