A migrant cleaner from Uzbekistan has been hailed as a hero after he caught a seven-year-old boy plunging from an 80-foot apartment window in Russia and then performed life-saving chest compressions. The dramatic incident unfolded in St Petersburg, where the child, named Sasha, fell from the seventh floor of a high-rise building on Petrozavodskaya Street.
Terrifying Moment Captured on Video
Video footage shows the terrifying moment Sasha plummeted from the window. Neighbours had spotted the little boy teetering on the windowsill and shouted at him to get back inside while trying to raise the alarm. However, Sasha, whose mother is a social media influencer, could not hear the warnings as he was playing on a tablet at the window.
Quick-Thinking Cleaner Acts Immediately
Uzbek cleaner Khairullo Ibadullayev, 37, who works as a caretaker at the building, saw the commotion and acted immediately. He found himself directly beneath Sasha as the boy fell from the high-rise window. Mr Ibadullayev managed to catch the child, and they both collapsed together into a snowdrift.
But the trouble was not yet over. The hero quickly realised the boy was not breathing. He immediately started massaging Sasha's chest, and after a tense moment, he heard the child gasp. "It was clear the boy wasn't breathing," Mr Ibadullayev said. "I started massaging his chest, and then I heard him gasp. After that, he was alright."
Mother Unaware for 10 Minutes
Meanwhile, the boy's mother, Nadezhda Amrani, 47, who has more than 50,000 social media followers and describes herself as a "strategy architect," reportedly did not know her son was missing until around 10 minutes after the fall. She had briefly gone into the kitchen while Sasha was playing on his tablet at the window.
When she returned, she was met with the horrifying sight of an empty open window and her son nowhere to be seen. While the mother was left confused seven floors above, Mr Ibadullayev was saving her son's life by performing chest compressions until emergency services arrived.
Injuries and Aftermath
Sasha was rushed to hospital, where he remains in intensive care but in a stable condition. Doctors reported that he suffered fractures to his lower legs and other injuries. Mr Ibadullayev also injured his ribs during the impact but was able to walk away. "If the child is okay, then I'll be okay too," he said.
Emergency services noted that no window restrictors had been installed in the apartment. Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the incident, particularly given the mother's delayed realisation of her son's disappearance.
Hero's Background and Motives
Hero Mr Ibadullayev arrived in Russia from Uzbekistan just four months ago to earn money to support his family back home, where he has four children and elderly parents. He had hoped to save enough to buy a car. His quick actions have drawn widespread praise, highlighting his bravery and presence of mind in a critical situation.
