A woman sitting at a conference in New York City saved 15 lives thousands of miles away — thanks to a text message from a young refugee who she gave a cell phone during volunteer work overseas.
The 7-year-old Afgan boy, Ahmed, begged for help from Liz Clegg, 50, using the phone she distributed to kids at a migrant camp in Calais, France in March.
The frantic text popped up on Clegg’s phone in badly-broken English Thursday morning.
“I ned halp darivar no stap car no oksijan in the car no signal iam in the cantenar. Iam no jokan valla,” the text read.
Clegg managed to figure out that it meant: “I need help. The driver won’t stop the car. No oxygen in the car. No signal. I’m in a container. I am not joking. I swear to God.”
Clegg quickly called a member of the London-based charity Help Refugees, Tanya Freedman, who alerted cops.
Police called the boy’s phone number, spoke briefly to him and traced the location to a highway service station in Leicestershire.
But when cops burst into the truck, they were stunned to find it packed with 14 oxygen-starved migrants, police sources said.
“It was absolutely nerve-wracking waiting to see if the police could find this boy in time to save his life,” Freeman said.
‘I ned halp darivar no stap car no oksijan in the car no signal iam in the cantenar. Iam no jokan valla.’
- text from Ahmed
“I had Ahmed’s number and the first thing they did was find an interpreter who spoke Pashto to talk to him. They called him and immediately they realized it was an emergency, and they were able to put a trace of his cellphone,” she said.
One man was arrested on suspicion of illegal trafficking. The others were detained on suspicion of entering the country illegally.
Ahmed, whose last name was not released by authorities, was placed in protective custody.
“It’s extraordinary that a 7-year-old boy knew his life was in danger and had the presence of mind to know what to do and give the right information and save himself and the others in the truck,” Freedman said.
“We hope he’s getting the right kind of care.”
Clegg runs an independent women’s and children’s hospital made of salvaged equipment and huts dubbed “The Jungle” in Calais. She and other volunteers handed out dozens of cellphones to children passing through the camp to keep them safe, Freeman said.
Some of the children who flee to the camp are orphans and others have escaped from war-torn countries
Clegg couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.