‘Restored my faith’: Off-duty first responder describes heroic acts at deadly crash

LINCOLNTON, N.C. — When a crowd of bystanders rushed to help a man who crashed on Highway 321 Tuesday afternoon, an off-duty medic technician at the scene said it restored his faith in humanity.

Channel 9′s Ken Lemon spoke with Matthew Rinaldi, a first responder who was driving home from work when he stopped at the crash in Lincolnton.

He said in 29 years as an emergency medic technician he has never seen an outpouring of human compassion like he saw that day.

Rinaldi said medics are used to people driving by, too busy to help, but that day he said nearly a dozen cars pulled over, and another man had climbed onto the car and jumped in from the passenger side to turn off the engine.

“Without him and the other gentleman there would have been no chance,” Rinaldi said. “It has really restored my faith in people in general.”

The driver died later at the hospital, but Rinaldi wants his life to be remembered through the people who stopped to try and save his life.

>>> At the video at the top of the page, Rinaldi describes the heroic acts of the men who stepped up during the crisis.

(WATCH: Car crashes into Dilworth building during multi-vehicle accident)

Car crashes into Dilworth building during multi-vehicle accident

©2023 Cox Media Group