A mother has described the terrifying moment a stranger rescued her and her two young children from a burning car on a busy bridge in Everett, Washington. The woman, who asked not to be named, was driving across the Hewitt Avenue Trestle in 2018 when smoke began pouring from the bonnet.
With rush-hour traffic thundering past, she managed to pull over and called the American Automobile Association (AAA), only to be told her membership had expired. Moments later, flames appeared through the windscreen. Acting on instinct, she jumped out and unclipped 10-month-old Weston from his car seat.
As she froze, unsure whether to place the baby on the road, a man appeared, saying, 'It's OK, mama,' and took Weston to his car. She then dashed to the other door to rescue three-year-old Talia, who was screaming in terror as flames spread inside the vehicle.
The man drove them to a nearby car dealership, where she thanked him, but never got his name. The family were later taken to her parents' house by a friend. The car was burnt out and scrapped. The mother said her children have no memory of the incident, but she struggled with nightmares and anxiety, later helped by therapy.
She added: 'When they moan that Mummy doesn't do this or that, I remind them that I entered a burning car for them – and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.'
