WOOD RIVER, Ill. – A mom recently expressed gratitude in a Facebook post after first responders aided her daughter after a car crash.
Alexis Summers was making a left-hand turn in Wood River, Illinois when another driver ran a red light and crashed into her vehicle. The momentum from the crash spun her vehicle around, Summers said.
The vehicle’s airbags were deployed.
“I don’t remember much of it,” Summers said. “It was definitely really scary.”
After the crash, she said her ears were ringing and managed to get out of the car. Summers went to check on the people in the other vehicle.
“It kind of scared me at first because nobody got out for a second, and all I could hear was a kid crying,” she said.
Another person had pulled over to see if they could help. Summers used their cellphone to call her mom.
“My husband and I were actually heading to Walgreens when I got the call from her. It was from a number I didn’t know, and normally I don’t answer numbers I don’t know, but I answered it,” Stacy Collins said.
“All I heard was her screaming and crying. You could tell she was just scared and in a lot of pain.”
Stacy and her husband Mick rushed to the scene from Bethalto to Wood River. Upon arriving, they were relieved to see their daughter was in good hands. Wood River Police Officer Fester and paramedic Kevin were calming Alexis down and keeping her warm, Stacy said.
Mick added that the first responders did a great job with taking care of Alexis and helping her through the situation.
“It was just really remarkable (of the) humanity extended towards her,” Stacy said.
She added that Officer Fester called later that evening to check up on Alexis.
“Police officers are getting bad raps and to see that kind of compassion and kindness extended, I just think everybody should know about it because she was scared. And as her mom, to know that when I pulled up that she wasn’t alone was very refreshing to me,” Stacy said.
She also expressed gratitude to the person who let Alexis use their cellphone.
Alexis was taken to hospital by her parents who said she is still recovering from whiplash and injuries to her hip and shoulder.
“She’s better than what the car looks like,” Stacy said. “It was really scary when you see the car, and to know that she didn’t walk away with worse injuries is a miracle in itself.”
During the time of the crash, Stacy said her daughter had a guardian angel with her. Alexis’ grandma recently passed away and with her was a hairbow she always wore.
