Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

‘God Took Care of Them’: 5 ‘Heroes’ Pull Elderly Couple from Burning Car in California

KFMB-TV screenshot
KFMB-TV screenshot
Share Tweet
By Andrea Morris

September 9, 2021

A group of Good Samaritans in California jumped into action Monday to help save an elderly couple who were inside a burning car along the highway.

The five men, all from the East County Transitional Living Center in El Cajon, saw the couple’s car on fire along Interstate 8 in Lakeside, KFMB-TV reports.

“It happened so fast, we just reacted immediately,” said Jeff Lucas. “There was someone needing our help, and there was no one there to help, so we are thinking ‘wow, this is going to explode soon,’ as the fire was near the gas tank.”

Ken and Joan Williamson, both in their 90s were vacationing in San Diego from Phoenix over the Labor Day holiday. 

The couple’s son said his parents’ car caught on fire after it was rear-ended.

“Everyone who saw that video knows that if those people did not pull my parents out, we would not be having this discussion right now, so I can’t thank them enough. I just want them to know that they saved two absolutely beautiful people, and we would love to have information to thank him personally,” said Mark Williamson.

There was so much smoke in the car, the men couldn’t tell how many people were trapped inside.

“We just saw this guy, and he is stuck in his seatbelt, so we kind of snatched open the door, and unbuckled the seatbelt. My buddy Barry snatched him out of the car and carried him to the side of the road,” said Andre Leggett.

“I saw how big the flames were,” Henry Hemphill told Fox5. “I realized a few more seconds maybe we may have been too late.”

The brave men are all residents at a facility that offers temporary housing for those experiencing homelessness.

Hemphill pointed out that a year ago, he would have probably kept driving instead of stopping to help.

“I was so wrapped up in myself and had my own agenda,” he said. “Here at this program, I’ve changed. We have all changed.”

Hemphill and Leggett said if they had to do it again, they’d be happy to help the couple.

“I’ve struggled with my own issues in my life,” Leggett admitted to the station. “I’ve been a very self-centered person for a majority of my life and I would just want somebody else to do that for my mom, for my father.”

“I am glad that they are okay and glad that God took care of them and hopefully they will be okay,” said Scott Andre.

Williamson said his father sustained some burns on his left side and his mother had a few abrasions. 

“We are just so grateful. These guys are heroes to us and to our parents for stepping up immediately, and that is phenomenal,” Williamson told KFMB-TV.

***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

Latest

  • Faith

    Florida Pastor, Father of Five Deported After Two Decades in the US

  • News

    Did the IRS Just Hand Churches a Major Victory? Trump’s Pledge Could Now Come to Fruition

  • Faith

    Candace Cameron Bure Reveals Marriage Struggles, How Son’s Gospel-Centered Confrontation Saved Them

  • Faith

    Texas Flood Hero, Camp Mystic Director Makes Ultimate Sacrifice: ‘Just Who He Was’

  • Faith

    ‘Billboard Chris’ Wins After Australia Tried Globally Silencing Him: ‘My Mission Is … Truth’


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

  • Florida Pastor, Father of Five Deported After Two Decades in the US
  • Did the IRS Just Hand Churches a Major Victory? Trump’s Pledge Could Now Come to Fruition
  • Candace Cameron Bure Reveals Marriage Struggles, How Son’s Gospel-Centered Confrontation Saved Them
  • Texas Flood Hero, Camp Mystic Director Makes Ultimate Sacrifice: ‘Just Who He Was’
  • ‘Billboard Chris’ Wins After Australia Tried Globally Silencing Him: ‘My Mission Is … Truth’

Archives

  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture
  • culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.