Nursing student impaled by a pole with a 1% survival chance asked paramedics to ‘pinky promise’ she’d live — his different vow changed her fate
During life-threatening situations, first responders play a crucial role. A young nursing student's life took an unexpected turn when she was driving on a busy California freeway. Janina Akporavbare was driving with her younger brother when a long metal pole tore into her car and pierced her body, leaving her critically injured but awake. She was trapped inside the vehicle, bleeding heavily, and fully aware of how serious the situation was. As later reported by PEOPLE on Monday, February 9, 2026, doctors said she had only a 1% chance of survival. The crash took place on August 25, 2025, on the 10 Freeway in San Bernardino during rush-hour traffic. While being rushed to the hospital, she asked a paramedic to "pinky promise" she would live, a moment that stayed with both of them.
Akporavbare later shared details of the incident that traffic was heavy and moving fast when she suddenly saw the pole coming toward her car. She said she could not change lanes or avoid it. After the impact, she heard a harsh grinding sound and felt something warm on her body. “I woke up, and I could feel something dripping on me,” she said. “I looked down, and it was my blood. I was bleeding through my stomach,” Akporavbare told Fox 10 News. The pole had entered from beneath the car and was still dragging along the road. With her brother in the backseat, she managed to pull over and call 911. Other cars continued driving over the pole while it remained inside her, adding to the danger and pain, as per WVTM13.
Firefighters and paramedics arrived within minutes and quickly assessed the scene. According to the Loma Linda Firefighters Association, the metal pipe had fallen from a flatbed truck and pierced the car through the front area. The responders cut the pole but left part of it inside her body to prevent further injury. As she was being rushed to the hospital, Akporavbare understood how serious the situation was. “I remember thinking, ‘I’m gonna die right now. That’s it for me,’” she said. She asked one paramedic to pinky promise she would survive. Instead, he made a different promise. The first responder told her that he and his team would come see her at the hospital if she survived. Doctors later confirmed she had only a 1% chance of living, yet she pulled through.
Her recovery was long and difficult. Akporavbare underwent three surgeries, during which doctors removed parts of her liver, kidney, and colon, as per WRAL. She spent nearly two months in the hospital and missed a semester of nursing school. She and her attorney are now seeking answers about who is responsible for the pole on the roadway. Still, she says she is thankful to be alive. Recently, on January 17, 2026, the firefighters' association released a handwritten note she had written to the first responders.
“You are angels. My parents and friends believe so, too,” she wrote. “You are amazing people to know. I am glad God sent me you. Thanks for keeping your promise of coming back.” The fire department was later honored by local officials for its life-saving work. Akporavbare says the experience has strengthened her desire to become a nurse. “I want to help people like the nurses at Loma Linda helped me,” she commented.