BOCA RATON, Fla. – Three days after dramatic video of an SUV in a canal showing a car taking on water quickly and two good Samaritans rushing to pull the driver from danger, the driver says she doesn’t remember much.
Molly Pedrone told Local 10 she was enjoying the day one moment and then remembers waking up in the water next.
It happened around 11:35 a.m. Sunday near South Military Trail and West Camino Real.
She told Local 10 that she has been suffering seizures for 13 years, but she hadn’t had one while she was driving; that was until Sunday.
Pedrone met her hero, Shawn Turner, on Tuesday on the bank of the canal where she was rescued.
“I don’t know where I would be without him right now,” said Pedrone.
She remembers what she was doing just before the car went off the road.“It was a gorgeous day, so I was thinking open up the windows, clean the house, grab some lunch on my way home and the lights went out.” She doesn’t remember much else until she woke up and was in the water.
Turner was driving back from fishing with his two sons when one of the boys spotted a car in the water. Turner pulled up to the side of the canal; within seconds, he jumped in.
In the video, Turner can be seen rescuing the woman. He said he was able to roll down the window and climb in the passenger’s side. “I took off the seat belt and I pushed her through the window as that vehicle was going under.”
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to find that Pedrone had already been pulled onto the canal bank. At that point, the car was fully submerged.
Turner and Adam Gunn were the two men who helped the woman. “It was a team effort and we got her to the side and waited for paramedics to come. Once we knew she was breathing, we took a little bit more time,” said Turner.
Rescue divers were called to the scene and confirmed that no one else was inside the vehicle.
Pedrone was taken to Boca Regional Hospital. She suffered minor scrapes and bruises.
“I want everyone to know how much of a hero he is,” said Pedrone.