MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida firefighter and his girlfriend are still recovering after barely escaping a fiery crash on I-95 in Delray Beach just one week ago.
Both are receiving critical treatment for the burns they sustained when a tanker truck crashed and burst into flames.
Local 10 News’ Rosh Lowe spoke exclusively with the firefighter’s girlfriend, Su Hninyi.
“I just get emotional over all this,” she said. “I couldn’t believe we made it together. I’m so happy that everybody survived.”
It’s a story where love conquered all, where a firefighter who saves lives as a job now had to save the life of his girlfriend.
“One moment you are sitting in an Uber and the next thing you don’t know whether you are going to live,” Hninyi said. “You always see these things on TV.”
Video taken after the crash shows firefighter Bryan Aparicio and Hninyi trying to get away from the flaming wreckage.
“We love each other even more now we almost lost each other,” she said. “I wouldn’t be here today. I owe him my life.”
The couple of four years were in the back of an Uber on I-95 in Delray Beach when troopers say a car cut off a fuel tanker that collided with the Uber.
Immediately there were flames everywhere.
Seconds were precious as the couple was surrounded by a raging inferno.
“I was sitting in the car thinking I was going to die,” Hninyi said.
Aparicio was able to get out of the car engulfed with flames. He would not leave Hninyi behind, going back into the car through a rear windshield to rescue her.
“The moment we got over the barricade, the car exploded behind us,” she said.
Aparicio is at home recovering. He has significant second and third degree burns on his face, head and arms.
Hninyi has burns all over her legs and arms.
The driver of the Uber Is 61-year-old Carlos Molina, a beloved husband and father. Molina has severe burns on over 35 percent of his body.
Aa GoFundMe page has been set up to help with medical expenses for Aparicio and Hninyi.
Molina’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help with hospital bills and other expenses that may arise. That page can be found by clicking here.