CHARLOTTE — Nearly two months ago, a good Samaritan and a police officer sprung into action to rescue an unconscious woman from her burning car on Interstate 77 -- and now that woman has given birth to her baby girl.
Jamie Sicard, 37, is a pharmacy tech and was 7-months pregnant. She told Channel 9′s Allison Latos that on July 2 she was on the phone with her best friend while driving to her Huntersville job.
She said she doesn’t remember the crash or the fire, but that she will never forget how those strangers saved her.
“For him to risk his life, for me. You know, words just can’t express,” she said.
[ALSO READ: Family raising money to bury good Samaritan killed in wreck]
Kwanelle Parker was on the interstate near Gilead Road in Huntersville when he came upon the wreck. That was when he noticed a car engulfed in flames in the expressway.
“That’s when I just immediately kicked into action and jumped out the truck and went to assist,” Parker said.
He ran across the wet road carrying a fire extinguisher to the car.
“I opened the door and inside the car was a lady passed out,” he said. “And that’s when I immediately put the fire extinguisher down and jumped in the car to pull her out.”
Parker saw that she had her seat belt on, and the airbags had been deployed.
“It was hot,” he said “It was so hot. It was scorching hot.”
He said Sicard came to and started fighting him off.
“I finally just grabbed her to get her out of the car, and she passed out again,” Parker said. “And that’s when the officer came and assisted me getting her out the car.”
Parker said as soon as they got her to the side of the road, firefighters arrived.
“The officer, he said, ‘Man, you saved this lady’s life. And not only did you save her life, you saved a kid’s life too,’” Parker said.
*VEHICLE FIRE UPDATE 2* Includes pictures that @LongCreekFD took of the vehicle fire earlier today. Thanks for the help LC! Fortunately, prior to our arrival, bystanders removed one person from the car. Now that's #OneTownOneTeam! #ThankYou #LongCreek pic.twitter.com/bNCjDuvypt
— Huntersville Fire (@Huntersville_FD) July 2, 2021
Sicard said she doesn’t remember the impact or the flames.
“I remember nothing. I don’t remember feeling dizzy or sick or anything,” she said.
She only remembers the ride to the hospital, where was still being monitored when she talked to Channel 9 because she was seven months pregnant and high-risk.
“It wasn’t a stroke or a heart attack. There was a substantial amount of carbon monoxide in my bloodstream, of course, from the smoke,” Sicard said.
Thankfully, Sicard and her baby are OK -- only a few burns tell of the scare they survived. She stayed in the hospital until she delivered a few weeks later, and hopes she will soon be able to meet and thank the strangers who bravely put their lives in danger to save hers.
“To just go ahead and pull me out -- it’s amazing. It takes a lot of courage,” Sicard said. “I don’t know them at all but I would just say, I will be forever grateful because you know, you didn’t have to do that.”
Parker spoke humbly about being praised as a hero.
“I was shocked, myself,” he said. “It feels like it’s nothing to be rewarded for. Feel it’s something that I, just someone who cares for human beings should do.”
Jurnee, Sicard’s second child, was born weighing 4 pounds and 10 ounces. She was born prematurely and will stay in the NICU for a little longer, but Sicard has gone home. Sicard told Channel 9 that both she and her daughter are doing well.
A GoFundMe has been set up to support Sicard and her family.
(WATCH BELOW: Good Samaritan takes school shooting victim’s mother to hospital)
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