SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A San Bernadino County woman credits a San Diego sailor stationed at Camp Pendleton with saving her life after a violent motorcycle accident severed her leg from the knee down.
“I feel God put him there, he saved my life,” said Melinda Gurrola.
Gurrola and her husband of more than 30 years, Silverio Gurrola, took a road trip from their home in San Bernadino County to Chula Vista on July 12 when they lost control and got into an accident near the 805 freeway and H Street that night.
Gurrola’s husband suffered minor injuries but the impact severed her right leg.
“I was in so much pain,” said Gurrola. “I was so close to dying.”
Gurrola says that’s when she heard the sound of a man by her side.
“He said my name is Sam Goodwin and you’re not going to die.”
Hospital Corpsman Second Class, Sammuel Goodwin, happened to be driving by on his way to the gym when he witnessed the accident and grabbed his trauma bag. Goodwin ran across several lanes on the 805 as cars sped by so he could get to the scene and see if he could help.
“I just took charge being as loud as I could — ‘this is what I’m doing, this is who I am,’” said Corpsman Goodwin.
Goodwin says he used his tunicate to stop Gurrola from losing any more blood. The action saved her life until paramedics were able to arrive and take her to the hospital.
“I feel God put him there, he saved my life,” said Gurrola. “I owe him my life.”
A GoFundMe is set up to help support the recovery of Sivi & Melinda.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
