Earlier this week NBC26 shared with you the story of a Good Samaritan who sprung into action to help after a bad car wreck in the town of Algoma. The man’s good deed received praise on the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department's Facebook page and tonight we hear from the woman that man helped.
After the car wreck the victim’s vehicle didn't burst into flames, the driver didn't need life saving CPR, but she was banged up and confused. And it was what she found in a strangers response to her wreck that was more than she could have ever asked for in that moment.
In the small town of Algoma off of Omro Road and Emmers Lane, a fairly busy intersection, a crash spun Julia Salomon into a state of confusion.
"I saw a sea of red to my left and then lots of noise… I was shaking. My arm hurt, my neck was hurting a lot,” says Salomon recalling the event that happened in early February.
A car smashed into hers and then the air bags deployed and her car was tossed into the ditch. Panic proceeded to set in, but not for long.
"All of a sudden there was this voice. Hi my name is Mark," Salomon says with a reminiscent smile.
Retired volunteer fire fighter Mark Clements saw it all happen. Julia was no longer alone.
"I was worried about possible neck injuries," says Clements who followed her cues of pain.
Odd to put it this way, but by the grace of good fortune Julia had the right driver behind her when the wreck happened.
"I've done similar things you know dozens of times," adds Clements.
Mark was in the right place at the right time to comfort Julia when she needed it most.
"Basically holding her head stable so that she didn't accidently move her neck around," says Clements.
"I remember… ohh his hands are so warm. And I remember reaching out and touching his arms," says Salomon.
Mark still thinks it’s important to point out that he doesn’t think that he did anything over the top admirable and EMT's do similar things on a daily basis though.
"I’m just grateful that there are those people out there that are doing it for me and my family," he says with a very straight poignant look.
But it was the comfort given by him to a complete stranger in a moment of need that Julia will undoubtedly hold onto for years.
"He was just very calming… he made that choice to stop even though he had his kid in the car to help me. And that's really awesome," Julia says holding back tears.
Mark says after the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office posted his story on their Facebook page it created a lot of positive buzz in his world. He just hopes young people touched by his story consider a role as a volunteer fire fighter or EMT.
