Nurse escapes from car crumpled in deadly Fort Worth pile-up and continues walking to work
Now we are hearing the incredible story of a survivor. Stuck in her wrecked car, a nurse from Fort Worth did everything she could to get out alive.
FORT WORTH, Texas – The mess of crashed cars has now been removed from I-35W in Fort Worth, where six people died in a massive pileup on Thursday morning.
Now we are hearing the incredible story of a survivor. Stuck in her wrecked car, a nurse from Fort Worth did everything she could to get out alive.
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Rebecca Benson is just one of the many victims of the accident. She is still recovering from minor physical injuries and significant mental trauma. While she was recovering, her husband shared his story of survival.
Ryan Benson’s emotion goes beyond mere words.
“Today, it is reality, the realization that I almost lost my whole world yesterday,” he said. “I am incredibly proud of her. So proud. And very grateful. We have been married for over 18 years, we have two children and we have a life.”
Ryan’s wife, Rebecca, got out of the back of her Dodge Durango and left the shelving scene without serious physical injuries.
Ryan explained how his wife survived just seconds after determining that she was heading straight for two 18-wheelers crashing in front of her.
“When she started to slide and realized she couldn’t help it, she just thought of two things: I’m going to be as soft as I can, relaxed as much as I can and point the vehicle to the safest place. Go,” explained Ryan.
Rebecca decided that the safest place to fall was between two 18-wheel trucks.
“I told her I wouldn’t have chosen this because my mind would have thought that I would have been stuck inside those 18-wheeler trucks,” said Ryan. “Well, this is the emergency medicine. This is her career beginning.”
Rebecca is no stranger to trauma. She is a nurse at Cook Children’s Hospital with more than a decade of experience. Before that, she was driving an ambulance.
“Yesterday was probably the most helpless I have ever felt in my life because I couldn’t get to her,” said Ryan. “Yesterday was full of fear, panic and anxiety.”
Ryan was at home when he received his wife’s first call at 6:17 am. His first words were: “I’m fine, but there was an accident.”
Meanwhile, a co-worker in the resulting congestion called Rebecca to let her know. She had no idea that Rebecca had already fallen.
Although bruised and mentally drained, Rebecca connected with that colleague and continued to work.
“She asked, ‘Where are you guys?’ And he said to her. And she just decided, ‘I’m walking,’ “said Ryan. “She just started walking north 35. She said she walked somewhere between 800 meters and 25 degrees.”
The Bensons say they are praying for families who have lost loved ones.
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