LEHI, Utah — Being equipped to save a life takes more than the right gear or even the right kind of training.
One could argue it takes the right kind of person and that Ben Goddard, with the Utah Department of Transportation, is one of them.
Goddard has worked with UDOT for four years and has been a lead with Utah County's Incident Management Team for three years.
"We see everything under the sun," said Goddard.
Thursday, Goddard said he watched a driver hit the left barrier while driving southbound on Interstate 15 toward Point of the Mountain in Lehi.
The driver then went across all lanes of traffic, coming to a stop after hitting the right barrier.
Rushing to the crashed car, Goddard said they found an 8-year-old girl who was not breathing.
"From the time we arrived on scene to the time we got to her pulse back was two minutes," said Goddard.
Those two minutes saved the 8-year-old's life.
"It was a surreal experience when you're in the moment," said Goddard.
An ambulance arrived eight minutes later, and the girl was rushed to the hospital.
For Goddard, saving the little girl was more than saving a complete stranger -- he thought of his own family.
"I have four little daughters and a boy, and this definitely hits home," said Goddard. "When we were working on that little girl, it definitely was one of my kids in that moment."
It was a right time, right place moment with the right person.
"My heart goes out to the family," said Goddard. "We're praying and hoping for a full recovery."
Still in the hospital, Goddard said the 8-year-old girl is in stable condition and has been placed into a medically-induced coma.
