Good Samaritan Rescues Elderly Driver From Water

[Hum]

 A Tacoma woman is recovering after she flipped her car into a pond on the 1900 block of North Pearl Street in Tacoma. As cold water rushed in, a Good Samaritan came to get her out.

The 84-year-old driver, who only wanted to be referred to as "Jan" to protect her privacy, said she was picking up her prescription at Rite-Aid. Her foot slipped and hit the gas pedal. That's when her car flipped over into a pond, and Jan feared she wasn't going to make it.

"I didn't mind dying, if it's to be then it's to be, but I didn't want to drown," said Jan.

Jan did survive, and Tacoma Police believe it's much to the credit to Melissa Finnell, who sprung into action before emergency responders could arrive.

When Finnell saw the car, she feared someone was trapped. Using a club she had in her truck, Finnell was able to break the car's window and crawl inside to unbuckle Jan, who was pinned upside down in her seat belt.

Finnell knew she couldn't wait.

"I was thinking there might be someone in there that's drowning, and I thought if I don't do something right now, I would regret it for the rest of my life."

The water temperature at the time was estimated at 48 degrees. Jan is believed to have been trapped 45 minutes, with water filling up in her car, before anyone saw her.

 

source & video

[jnelsoninjax]

At 84, perhaps it's time to give up driving. Either way that's really neat how someone can risk their own life to save a total stranger.

[Hum]

I guess seniors are reluctant to give up independence.