Brighten Your Day

Veteran's life is saved by stranger on the interstate

July 30, 2012

The life of a veteran living with a brain injury was saved by a total stranger this week. Now the two will be friends for life.

Lauren James was serving a tour in Afghanistan when an IED exploded causing a minor brain injury that leads to seizures at unpredictable moments. James claims that she has not experienced one in a long time.

Driving down the interstate, Derrick Wood noticed a car running into a concrete barrier over and over again. He knew something was wrong and being a good samaritan, pulled his vehicle over to help.

"I was able to come up beside (James), and I saw she was laid over across the seat, and I knew what a seizure looks like," said Wood. "She hit the wall a couple more times, and that slowed her down even more, and I was able to actually pull over in front of her."

To save her life, Wood pulled his car in front of James allowing them to touch stopping her from moving forward. On the middle of a busy interstate, Wood risked his life by pulling in front of a moving vehicle swerving out of control and putting on the brakes.

Wood called 911 and waited with James until they arrived to treat her seizure. After James came to, she could barely remember anything.

"If it wasn't for him then I probably wouldn't be here today,"James told reporters about Wood. "He is truly my guardian angel."