BUFFALO, N.Y. — Vanetta Sanchez was walking with her friend along Bailey Avenue last Saturday when at 12:51 p.m. a car coming out of a nearby parking lot hit her head on.
The entire incident was captured on surveillance video including the efforts of several people who rushed over to help but for Sanchez's sister, Latrese Pearsall, the images have been too much.
"I threw my phone when I saw the video," Pearsall said.
Sanchez was rolled over several times and ended up pinned under the car's rear wheel. Pearsall who has been caring for her sister and checking in on her at ECMC called the whole thing unbelievable.
"It's just like, oh my god, like are you serious? Like it was just unbelievable. A freak accident," she said.
In one second, her sister's life was changed and it could have ended very differently but Pearsall credits several guardian angels for coming to help and one man in particular.
"He just appeared out of this parking lot. And he went right into action. I was like, Oh my God, where the heck did he come from," Pearsall said.
The mystery man seen on surveillance video initially grabbed a car jack from the trunk of the vehicle on Sanchez. After efforting for a couple of minutes, the man orchestrated lifting the vehicle off Sanchez's body with several others there to help.
After a lot of surgery and broken bones, Pearsall said Sanchez remains in the ICU at ECMC but as of Friday evening, she had been removed from her ventilator and was breathing, although labored, on her own. Pearsall praised the doctors and nurses caring for her sister.
"She's very strong. She is a mother of three children so she has no choice but to get strong because her babies do need her," Pearsall said.
While she and her family know recovery and therapy will be arduous, after many days of uncertainty all the prayers and support they've been receiving on social media and in person, appear to be working. Sanchez suffered no brain trauma and is not paralyzed Pearsall explained.
"Every day is a new milestone. Again, it's a lot of injuries but if people have seen that video and have seen how it happened, she's a miracle."
Pearsall said she wanted to thank the mystery man who rushed over to help that day.
The good news is... after a few phone calls and some very helpful employees at the AutoZone on Bailey Avenue 2 On Your Side was able to put Mr. Willy Heard and Latrese Pearsall in touch.
When asked what the first thing she'd say to Mr. Heard Pearsall said.
"The first thing I'm going to do is give Mr. Willy a big ole hug and just say thank you, I might even shed some tears but I'm definitely hugging him first. So definitely will do that."
Latrese said detectives told her a medical incident may have played a role in the accident but regardless she feels in general drivers along Bailey Avenue need to be safer and more conscious. Buffalo Police are currently investigating.
"Just drive safe," she said.
"Take your time it's like it's no rush. When you go down Baily everybody speeds and everybody swerves from left to right. It's just like be patient freak accidents can happen," Pearsall said.
Sanchez's family has setup up a GoFundMe to help pay for medical expenses and her continued care down the road.