A woman returning from a Halloween party in a banana costume rushed to help after a car crashed into a pub in Orlando, Florida. Stephanie Oropeza was heading home from a food-themed Halloween event at 4am on Sunday when a black SUV drove through the outdoor seating area of The Moderne bar. No one was injured in the incident, although the front of the bar was left damaged.
Witnessing the Crash
Speaking to News 6, Oropeza described the moment the vehicle veered off course. "At first we were just in shock because at first it just started off [with] him driving on the opposite side of the road," she said. "And then slowly he started just veering into The Moderne."
Michael Nguyen, owner of The Moderne, said that after watching footage of Oropeza in her banana suit, he was in disbelief and initially thought the clip was generated by AI.
Bar Seeks 'Banana Hero'
The Moderne Bar issued a statement confirming that no one was injured during the incident and praising Oropeza, whom they called the "banana hero." The statement read: "First and foremost, we are extremely grateful that no one was hurt and damage was minimal in this unfortunate accident. Now with that out of the way and in completely unrelated news…we are looking for this unnamed banana hero."
The eatery added: "We have an appealing offer for them, but they split before we could thank them." Nguyen stated that replacing the bar's custom fence alone could cost between $30,000 and $50,000.
Instinct to Help
Speaking to WFTV Channel 9, Oropeza explained her actions. "I'm actually going to school to be a future nurse, so it was just an instinct. You see a hurt person, I can't just see that and be like, 'oh no, I'm gonna go home.'" She said, referring to the driver, "I needed to at least call for help and make sure he was okay." She added, "I feel like that's the bare minimum that you can do as a decent human being these days."
