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Good Samaritans risk lives to rescue man from burning car

car rescue flames

Good Morning America via Youtube

Cerith Gardiner - published on 04/24/24

A group of strangers rushed to help a 71-year-old man on a highway in Minnesota.

Recently a camera caught on film the very dramatic joint rescue efforts of a septuagenarian trapped in his burning vehicle.

Ordinarily our reflexes would tell us that the first thing you do when you see a car on fire is to get well away from it. However, a group of strangers jumped into action to try and free Sam Orbovich from his SUV after it had crashed on the Interstate 94 in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Despite the billowing flames, and the heat, the random rescuers ensured that they pulled the elderly gentleman from his vehicle just in time. As you can see in the video below shared by Good Morning America on Youtube, the risk to their own lives was substantial, with small explosions actually sending the Good Samaritans to the ground.

As the GMA report explained, those who participated in getting the driver to safety were scared for their own lives. Thankfully, however, their combined rescue efforts meant that Orbovich was left with only minor injuries from the incident.

“Heroic actions”

According to The Washington Post, the Minnesota State Patrol credited the citizen rescuerswith saving the driver’s life. Lt. Jill Frankfurth said:

The State Patrol is grateful that the driver is okay due to the heroic actions of the individuals who stopped to help. The actions of those who pulled this motorist from the burning car demonstrates the importance and willingness of people throughout Minnesota looking out for each other.

While the accident and subsequent rescue were dramatic, the fact that people driving by during rush hour stopped to lend a hand, and risked their own lives, reminds us of the beauty of humanity.

Divine intervention?

And just as a side note: It’s interesting that the accident occurred in Saint Paul, named after the Apostle who was famously converted on the road to Damascus. Perhaps this is a sign that there was a little heavenly intervention.

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Acts of KindnessCatholic LifestyleInspiring stories
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