Man rushed to help driver involved in major car crash but couldn't get her out—his touching gesture gave her the support she needed

The man hoped that his actions during the emergency situation would encourage other people to show compassion.

PUBLISHED AUG 5, 2025

(L) A car rolled over its roof. (R) A man looking ahead with a panicked expression. Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | hairballusa; Maca and Naca

Emotional support from someone can make a big difference in a seemingly hopeless situation. A man experienced that when he saw a car roll over on its roof. He left his vehicle on the road and ran with his father and son to check on the driver. They tried to help the woman inside the car come out, but couldn't do that even after multiple attempts. So after some time, the man, Nathaniel Bunn, sat down on the street and decided to support the woman in any way he could, per ABC 4 WTAE.

A car rolled over on its roof. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Oleksandr Tkachenko

The family was in the Chateau neighborhood of Pittsburgh when they witnessed the incident. They parked their car at a red light and rushed to help the woman. The trio was trying to open the door, but nothing worked. "We tried to get it open, but we couldn't. The door was jammed. Another pedestrian, he had a tire iron or something that we tried to get the door open with, but we couldn't pry it open, so I resigned to sit down and just told her to hold my hand," Bunn recounted. The man hadn't seen the driver and she didn't make any noise to show that she was alright or listening to the man. But he put his hand in the car and tried to reach for her hand.

Man looking out of a car window in distress. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | skynesher

Bunn found the woman's hand and held onto it as he sat beside the car window to comfort her. "I was feeling kind of in despair. I don't feel like that often. Just because of how the world is going, a lot of things. And a lot of people were videotaping and stuff." Eventually, the driver squeezed Bunn's hand back and it came as a big relief for him. He decided to talk to her and console her after that. He told the woman, "You can squeeze my hand, for comfort. Everything's going to be OK. We can't get the door open, but just hang on. Help's on the way." The man sat at an intersection and held the woman's hand until paramedics arrived at the scene.

Paramedics rushing to a scene after an accident. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Halfpoint Images

Bystanders often arrive at a scene of a traffic accident even before the first responders, according to a study. However, not everyone rushes to help because of their fears and concerns. These can be divided into five different subcategories, per the source. The concerns can come from a lack of information, fear of legal troubles, bad past experiences, fear and anxiety because of the situation and concerns of unknown origin. A training for basic first aid and what to do in such a situation can make a big difference in a bystander's reaction. Laws to protect them from legal troubles can help as well.

Bunn expressed that he thought about how the person was doing quite often after that. He hoped that the woman was recovering well. "I did call AGH to ask how the crash accident was doing and they said we can just tell you that no one's critical. I didn't know her name." He hoped to spread a message of compassion through his act. "I'm glad that I was there to help her and hope she was comforted by my actions. Everybody should maybe learn from this if it's possible. If you see somebody in a situation where you can help, try to help them. Don't be selfish."