HERO: Texas Woman Pulls Man from Burning Car

HOUSTON, Texas – A young Houston woman pulled a man loose from a burning car at great risk to her own health and safety.

25-year-old Sheilonda Brooks witnessed a horrible car crash in Houston two weeks ago. The car caught on fire and, at great risk to her personal safety, Brooks rushed to the car and began extricating the trapped driver when the car exploded into flames.

Brooks told her story to KHOU-11 News reporter Rucks Russell Monday night after spending the last two weeks recovering from burns she received during her heroic action.

“I was exiting the beltway,” Brooks told Russell. “I’m looking in my rearview, and I’m seeing this car like zooming up.” As the car passed her on the Sam Houston Parkway, the driver lost control and the vehicle flipped over several times. As Brooks pulled over and rushed over to the car, she noticed smoke was already visible.

She sprinted to the car and opened the door. “My whole mind, everything was like, ‘Get this man out of this car. Nothing else matters,’” she told the Houston reporter. She pulled on the driver and then, the car burst into flames.

“And that first pull when he was half out the car exploded,” Brooks explained while showing her injuries to Russell. I was screaming. I felt like my body was on fire. The explosion literally hit me in the face.”

A second person who stopped to help grabbed the driver and completed the task of pulling the driver clear of the now burning car.

Paramedics who took the photograph shown above recounted that had Brooks not made the initial effort and partially pulled the driver out, he would have likely died in the fire. Officials told Russell the victim is recovering well.

As for Brooks, she received second- and third-degree burns on her arms and legs.

The young Texas woman recalled her strong spiritual beliefs and said, “I am just a vessel that got used at the moment and at that time, and the true hero is God.”

Others might say it was the sweet-natured 25-year-old woman who acted with heroism and saved a man’s life.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and is a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.