Apr 2nd 2025
Everyday Hero Stories: What Would You Do If You Were Trapped in a Car for Almost a Week?
The Vision Statement of BFG is “To Empower Everyday Heroes with Superior, Mindset, Knowledge, and Equipment Needed to Prevail in Critical Circumstances.” Everyday Heroes Stories is our way of honoring everyday heroes that act quickly to save lives as well as those who are a hero every day while wearing a uniform.
Always Better® | April, 3rd 2025
What Would You Do If You Were Trapped in a Car for Almost a Week?
Earlier this month, a 41-year-old woman fell asleep at the wheel in Indiana and drove her car into a ditch under a bridge. She remained trapped there until she was discovered 6 days later by a man operating a tractor. She was alive but had badly broken both of her legs, her wrist, and ribs. Volunteer firefighters rescued her from the car, and she was flown to a hospital in Chicago where she is still recovering.
What can we learn from this amazing story? Let’s dissect this #MindsetMoment together.
One thing that She did to save her own life was figure out a way to drink water. She was pinned inside her car in a deep ditch with two broken legs and only one good arm. To get water, she used her good arm to hang her hoodie out of the window allowing it to soak up water from the ditch, which she then sucked out of the fabric. You can only survive a few days without water, so in a desperate situation, figure out a way to hydrate!
She was also able to stay warm using a blanket she had in her car. Preventing hypothermia is crucial in any survival situation. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself from getting too cold! Hypothermia blankets are great for a small survival kit and/or a mini candle can keep you surprisingly warm.
She tried repeatedly to call for help, but no one could hear her because of the noise of the vehicles traveling on the road. Her broken ribs also made yelling painful and more difficult. Always carry a whistle! It’s an easy item to add to your keychain. We’ve heard multiple stories about when this saved lives.
There’s one last thing that is maybe a little less obvious in this story and that’s her will to live. She simply didn’t give up. This has literally everything to do with mindset. If you think you aren’t going to make it, your chances don’t get better, they get worse. Don’t quit!
A note for the prepared mind: this story brings up an uncomfortable realization… sometimes all you have access to is what is in your pocket or within arm’s reach. Even if she had an EDC bag it likely would have been in the trunk. And if it was on the seat next to her – things move in a car crash! The phone that was sitting in your lap is probably going to be ejected out of the window in the case of an accident. Consider having essential gear tethered near your driver’s seat or in a secure location that’s close enough to access in case of a car crash.
What about our everyday hero?
The hero in this story was a worker operating a tall tractor. The higher elevation gave him a vantage point so he could spot the car in the ditch. He called his supervisor and they both approached the car and found this mom-of-three trapped inside with serious injuries. They were able to call for help and get her safely out. Their local sheriff commented that “In my book, he is a hero, and we can never thank him enough for his keen eye and quick action." Sometimes being a hero means being curious, paying attention, and noticing when something isn’t quite right.
Here's to Everyday Heroes and Heroes Every Day – We see you.
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