Mom Grateful for Stranger Who Paid for Family Groceries: 'You Didn't Judge'

[TheDarkWraith]

This story doesn't involve money but rather it follows in line with helping someone in need.

I was heading down a state route to home behind a Dodge caravan doing ~60mph in the left lane. It was a normal, sunny day with barely a cloud in the sky. I was listening to my favorite country radio singing along to the song in the car. In my amazement I watched the Dodge caravan in front of me quickly veer to the right and then to the left smacking the guard rail so hard the rear end of it got airborne. It then veered back to the right crossing both lanes of traffic, going down in the ditch, coming back up, getting airborne again, finally hitting a tree bringing it to a stop. Mind you this all happened in seconds but I can still replay it in my mind in slow motion.

I quickly pulled over to the right side of the road and started running over to the Dodge caravan to see if everyone was alright. To my amazement many people were stopping their cars and just staring at the accident. Noone was trying to help.

I reached the caravan and started assessing the situation. The caravan was totaled. There was no fuel smell or leaking evident, no fires, etc. which was good. Looking into the driver's side I saw no person in the seat nor did I see anyone in the passenger's seat. I thought to myself this is bad! I checked the back of the caravan and there were no people either (and no child seats). I checked the front windshield and there were no impact marks of someone hitting it with their body or head. Looking around the accident scene I saw no bodies. Well someone was driving this caravan!

I went around to the passenger side and looked into the window. Then I saw a lady pushed into the little space for your feet and up under the dash. I yelled at the bystanders on the road for help and for someone to dial 911. I had to yell multiple times to get someone to finally come and help me.

I opened the passenger door and asked the lady in a calm voice if she was ok. She responded with something incomprehensible which told me she hit her head pretty good on something. I saw no blood or bones protruding from any of her skin. I told her I was trained in first aid and was going to help her.

I instructed the young man who finally came to assist me to lift up on the dash while I try and gently get the lady out from under it. After about 5 mins we were able to extract the lady from the vehicle and lay her flat on the ground with her legs placed above her (in case she was in shock). I assessed her condition and to my amazement I couldn't identify any broken bones, puncture wounds, bleeding, etc. She was one lucky lady! She did have a huge bruise behind her left ear probably the result of her hitting her head there on something.

I spoke to her in a calm voice asking if she knew her name, what she was doing, where she was, etc. and her speech was still pretty incoherent. I instructed the young man to search her vehicle and locate her purse. He came back with it and we opened it up and found her cell phone. I asked the lady if she knew what it was and while her speech was incomprehensible she did nod her head which told me she understood what I was saying to her. I asked her if she could unlock it (it was an IPhone) and she was able to type in the numbers to unlock it. We found the lady's drivers license in her wallet in her purse and noted her last name. We searched the phone till we found someone with her last name and called the number. To my amazement the first one I dialed was her husband.

I told him his wife was involved in an accident and that she was ok and 911 was called. He was frantic and asked for our location. I told him where we were and he said he was on his way.

I kept talking to the lady in a calm voice asking her very simple questions just to keep her calm and relaxed. Her eyes were very dilated and her speech was still not comprehensible. It seemed like an eternity but the police and an ambulance finally arrived and took control of the situation.

They took the usual precautions of placing a neck brace on the lady and putting her on a stretcher and then took her away in the ambulance. No more than 5 mins after taking her away in the ambulance her husband showed up. He was a mess. I identified myself to him as the one who had called him. I told him what had happened and his first question to me was "Did you see her talking on her cell phone when you were behind her in your car?". I told him I didn't see her talking on her cell phone but I really didn't recall as I wasn't paying much attention to the car in front of me. He said she had done the same thing a couple of years ago (totaling a car) because she was talking on the phone, she dropped the phone, went to reach to pick it up and lost control of the vehicle Wow.

The police took witness statements and everything else they usually do. I got back in my car and headed home thinking nothing more of it.

About 3 weeks later I received a phone call on my cell phone from an unrecognized number. The lady identified herself as the one who was involved in the accident. She wanted to thank me for helping her and for calling her husband in time of need. There aren't many things that make me choke up and shed a tear but this one did

I hope someone will do the same for me if ever I find myself in a similar situation.

I'm still amazed at how people just pulled over on the side of the road and sat and stared, not bothering to come help this lady in need. It took me yelling at them for one young man to finally step forward and come and assist