Posted on 08/12/2010 9:07:23 PM PDT by South40
RAMONA — Eighth-grader Cassidy Blankenbaker always knew her grandmother was selfless.
Now she can add brave and heroic to the list of loving attributes to remember her by.
Sharrel Blankenbaker, 63, sacrificed her life last week when she stood up to an armed kidnapper who was pulling Cassidy into his truck at an Amarillo, Texas, gas station.
The gunman fired a shot, striking the grandmother in the lung.
The distraction was enough for 12-year-old Cassidy to escape his strong grip, but her grandma died shortly after from the gunshot wound.
“I think she’d have done that for anyone,” Cassidy recalled Thursday from her Ramona home. “She was just that kind of person.”
Cassidy, a student at Olive Peirce Middle School, had just flown into Amarillo on Aug. 3 along with her 16-year-old brother, Dylan. They were there for their annual summer visit with grandma, who ran a paint contractor business with her husband of 25 years, Dale.
They were looking forward to gardening and getting another taste of grandma’s fried chicken, “the best chicken in the world,” Cassidy said.
Their grandmother picked them up from the airport, with their 5-year-old cousin in tow, and the foursome eventually headed to their grandparents’ home in Felt, Okla., two hours away.
First, they stopped at a Love’s truckstop and store for drinks and a bathroom break. It was when they were walking back to their car that an overweight man in a cowboy hat and boots jumped out of his pickup and latched onto Cassidy’s wrist.
“He pointed a gun at me and told me, ‘Get in my truck.’ My grandma wouldn’t let him,” Cassidy said.
Her grandmother got in between them, yelling at the man to get away.
“He shot her, and I had gotten my arm loose from him. And I started running away, but he chased me,” Cassidy said.
Her brother, who had already carried his younger cousin to safety, came back for Cassidy. They ducked behind the counter of the gas station.
Then another man came in, frantically looking for his daughter.
The kidnapper had her. He had forced her into his pickup as she was walking along the road with a friend.
After relaying a description of the truck to 911, Potter County sheriff’s deputies pulled over Gary Don Carner, 58, who died in an exchange of gunfire. His 11-year-old captive was able to flee from the pickup and jump into a ditch.
Earlier that night, Carner had failed in attempts to kidnap two women.
On Saturday, Cassidy spoke at her grandmother’s funeral in Oklahoma. She ended the eulogy with a memory of a storm that hit right after the shooting, and a brilliant double rainbow that appeared in the sky.
“I said, ‘Whenever you see a rainbow, think of my grandma,’ ” she said.
Blankenbaker also leaves behind three sons and eight grandchildren.
“I think my grandma is the greatest person in the world. It didn’t surprise me that she did that, but I’m really grateful she did.”
She is old school. She truly loved and protected her granddaughter. I wonder ... how many parents today would be that selfless and loving to give their lives for their child? Never mind. really don't want to know. Too many parents outsource their kids and think that's fine too. Too many have others raising their kids.
No greater love ... .
It is the ultimate sacrifice of love.
This is wha tAmerica and responsible parenting/grandparenting used to be like. I’m so glad some remember.
God bless Sharrel Blankenbaker and prayers for her family.
~~~~
Oh yes ... my Lord, what a heartbreaking, tragic crime.
What a hero. No greater love ...
Dear Lord. May God hold the heroic grandmother dear. Prayers for the grieving family.
My step-grandson attends the same Ramona school with the Cassidy Blankenbaker. Don’t know if they’re axquainted.
I noticed the cross in the picture’s background. Hopefully that implies she had given her life to The Lord.
Yes she gave her life to the Lord! Greater love hath no man than to give his life for another. This woman is surely in Heaven!
What a brave, selfless woman. She saved her granddaughter (and indirectly, another child) from what would have been unspeakable horror. I’m crying right now, in awe of her. Blessings on her and her family.
What a brave, selfless woman. She saved her granddaughter (and indirectly, another child) from what would have been unspeakable horror. I’m crying right now, in awe of her. Blessings on her and her family.
That’s a real woman who has hopefully gone to glory. May her granddaughter live to make her proud.
Concealed carry.... don’t leave home without it.
Let’s retire as many of these FRs as possible.
How about a $5 reward for pelts...
Oh no ... oh my gosh ..! Such a horrendous
monster to do this evil. Thank God his days
of terrifying are done.
I think the same way, it doesn’t bother me at all when these type of people are taken out.
My prayers go out to the family and friends of this brave woman. I am heartbroken that the family lost such a wonderful person in such a horrible way.
How horrifying! But there’s little doubt what fate would have awaited the grandchild.
I read this story to my eight year old daughter, to reinforce our discussions about being aware. Things can happen quickly. You have to act in the moment. RIP brave Grandmom!
Sharrel Blankenbaker is a great American and person worthy of national media attention and tribute as a Hero.
Yet instead, they’ll focus on the self-centered jackass flight attendant who thinks he’s “all fabulousssss” for that unprofessional stunt he pulled on Jet Blue; a “hero” to the “Flingers Restaurant” class of citizens and journalists in our country - whose main contributions in life are reflected in simply wearing more than the minimum amount of ‘flair’.
If she’d had a concealed weapon, perhaps only the kidnapper would be dead.
God bless her....*sniff*
RIP.
What a precious, precious woman... May she be rewarded in heaven for her selfless love. A true hero.
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