Every bruise, scrape and achy muscle was worth it, says Calvin Stein.

“Somebody asked me yesterday if I would do it again, and I said ‘In a heartbeat’,” he said.

The Madoc resident gained national attention after being trampled by a team of ponies while saving a three-year-old girl.

The incident happened during the Tweed fair over the weekend.

“I just saw that the poor child was in harms way. I didn’t care about myself at that point,” he said.

Stein blames nobody for the incident and chalks it up to an accident.

The incident started when a team of ponies got away from a handler while being prepared, Stein explained. The team ran down the track and in front of a truck before changing course and heading toward the three-year-old girl.

“I have horses myself, we were waiting to pull for our class when it happened,” he said.

Stein said, as a horse owner, he knows their reactions and what they were going to do. He said he initially was trying to catch and slow the animals.

“They ran far enough to give me time to read them and figure out where they were going,” he said.

When he saw the team was headed toward the children, Stein said his focus changed.

The father of the little girl was standing with his three kids talking to another teamster when the team started running toward them, explained Stein. When the father heard Stein screaming, he grabbed two of the children.

The poor girl was oblivious to what was going on, said Stein.

“I remember picking a spot between what I think was a car and a trailer and I grabbed the girl and I tossed her,” he said.

With little time to spare, Stein figured throwing the girl was a lot better than what was going to happen.

“As soon as she left my hands the team hit me,” he said.

His body then went limp. Stein said he felt the impact, but initially there was no pain.

“I landed face-first and shoulder first into the dirt, and I just laid there because I couldn’t catch my breath,” he said.

Stein said for a moment he thought he was going to die.

“I remember opening up my left eye because my right eye was all smashed and I could hear everyone screaming for EMS,” he said.

Stein suffered from a broken orbital socket, multiple stitches in his face and a concussion.

Fortunately there were a few registered nurses on the fairgrounds who went to his aid, he said.

Stein was then rushed to Belleville General Hospital for treatment.

“From the first responders to the paramedics and doctors, everyone was incredible,” he said.

The young girl walked away from the incident with minor scrapes and bruises.

Despite everything Stein went through, he said he does not consider himself a hero.

“I’m just an average guy who did what everyone should do. The real heroes are our members of the Canadian Forces, police forces and emergency services,” he said.

The family has already gotten in contact with Stein to thank him.

Since the incident on Saturday, Stein said he is recovering well.

“I’m feeling a lot better than I did yesterday. Every day is an improvement,” Stein said.