fbi hostage safeWe can all breathe a tremendous sigh of relief: The 5-year-old child held for seven days in an underground bunker by 65-year-old Vietnam vet Jimmy Lee Dykes has been rescued at last! According to details released at a news conference just moments ago, "negotiations began deteriorating" between Dykes (who was seen holding a gun) and officials over the past 24 hours. At approximately 3:21 p.m., "fearing for the child's life," FBI agents stormed the bunker and saved the boy, who is reportedly named Ethan. Ethan, who has Asperger's and ADHD, is thankfully said to be unharmed physically. Dykes, however, is dead. No word yet on whether he was killed by FBI agents or his own hand. Either way, those agents are true heroes -- as is the school bus driver who lost his life trying to protect Ethan.

Thanks to that selfless driver and those brave FBI agents, Ethan is alive! And, to the best of our knowledge, he isn't hurt (he's been taken to a local hospital). As a mom, I could cry with joy imagining the overwhelming gratitude his mother must be feeling after this week of utter hell.

We'll report back later on this story as details are released.

Are you surprised and relieved to hear about Ethan's dramatic rescue?

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