Texarkana Boy Gets Arm Stuck in Gumball Machine
By: CNN
Updated: May 9, 2012
A Texarkana boy is okay after his determination to have a gumball got him into a sticky and tricky situation.
Two-year-old Terrell Parks, Jr. had money for gumballs, but decided to take matters into his own hands by trying to get one out of the machine a different way.
He ended up getting his arm stuck inside the machine and firefighters had to come to his rescue.
"I turn my back one minute, they were trying to get gum out of the gum machine. His hand stuck up there completely man," said the boy's father Terrell Parks, Sr.
The boy's cheeks were wet with tears as the Texarkana Fire Department came to his rescue.
"Initially we did not have a plan. We were hoping it would be as easy as putting some oil on it and sliding it out. Wasn't that simple," said Texarkana Firefighter Vincent Johnson.
Turns out they had to break the plastic and disassemble the mechanism, spilling gumballs all over the floor, not counting the ones in Terrell's hand.
"At one point during the rescue the kid got some gumballs in his fist, but he refused to open it and give up the gumballs," Johnson said.
Firefighters had to coax him so they could get his hand out.
Terrell was not hurt and he got to keep his gum ball along with a few extra.
Two-year-old Terrell Parks, Jr. had money for gumballs, but decided to take matters into his own hands by trying to get one out of the machine a different way.
He ended up getting his arm stuck inside the machine and firefighters had to come to his rescue.
"I turn my back one minute, they were trying to get gum out of the gum machine. His hand stuck up there completely man," said the boy's father Terrell Parks, Sr.
The boy's cheeks were wet with tears as the Texarkana Fire Department came to his rescue.
"Initially we did not have a plan. We were hoping it would be as easy as putting some oil on it and sliding it out. Wasn't that simple," said Texarkana Firefighter Vincent Johnson.
Turns out they had to break the plastic and disassemble the mechanism, spilling gumballs all over the floor, not counting the ones in Terrell's hand.
"At one point during the rescue the kid got some gumballs in his fist, but he refused to open it and give up the gumballs," Johnson said.
Firefighters had to coax him so they could get his hand out.
Terrell was not hurt and he got to keep his gum ball along with a few extra.
