Arredondo Pinched Boston Bombing Victim's Leg Artery To Stop Him From Bleeding To Death

Carlos Arredondo, wearing cowboy hat and Jeff Bauman in wheelchair.  

Photo: Internet/Facebook

Costa Rican man considered a hero for saving a 27-year-old man whose legs were blown off by one the Boston Marathon bombings.
 

By H. Nelson Goodson

April 18, 2013

Boston, MA - On Monday, Carlos Arredondo, 52, an immigrant from Costa Rica who was at the Boston Marathon race to honor one of his son's, Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo who got killed in 2004 in Iraq and was giving out free American flags to veteran and runners in the race is credited for saving a 27-year-old man who got both of his legs blown off by a bomb blast. Arredondo who was near the finish line with his wife rushed to help those helpless victims who were severely injured in the blast. 

He managed to help Jeff Bauman, 27, who was severly injured and had both of his legs blown off. Bauman was at the race near the finish line waiting for his girlfriend who was in the race.

Arredondo is seen in several famous photos that have gone viral on the Internet holding and pinching shut an exposed left leg artery while Bauman was being moved in a wheelchair to get emergency treatment. Arredondo told media outlets that he kept telling Bauman, "Stay with me, stay with me." Bauman was in severe pain and shock, but survived after doctors at the Boston Medical Centre amputated both legs. Arredondo kept Bauman from bleeding to death, according to doctors. 

Arredondo who is wearing a cowboy hat in the photo is considered a hero, but he says, that he was just helping out those victims in critical need.

A posting on the Internet alleged that the photos with Arredondo and Bauman were fake and were created in photo shop and then, mistook Bauman for another previously injured veteran. Since then, the photos were removed by the administrator.