Teen was sole survivor during crash that killed her family — passerby’s kind gesture helped calm her down during horrific moment
One cannot imagine the horrifying experience of witnessing loved ones get hurt or lose their lives in front of one’s eyes. The fear, worry and hope that they’re okay, together with the chaos, can become traumatic. A 16-year-old girl named Katelynn had to experience this brutal reality when she and her family had a serious car accident, per WSOC-TV. The crash that occurred between two vehicles took the life of the teenager’s entire family, as well as the driver in the other vehicle. While she was in the car, confused, scared and in a blur, a stranger’s comforting gesture became a slight relief.
The deadly crash happened between West Boulevard and Wilkinson Boulevard. It involved a commercial vehicle driven by a 16-year-old and a family vehicle with six people inside. The family were going on a trip when their car collided with the other, WCNC reported. Unfortunately, five of the family members — Taylor Willis, Samuel Jacob Holmes, their children, 1-year-old Brynlon Holmes and 3-year-old Addyson Holmes and a relative, 8-year-old Kamron Wood, together with the 16-year-old driver, Logan Paul Sauer, lost their lives.
Katelynn was the sole survivor of the crash and was later transported to Atrium Health Main for treatment. However, in that brief moment, before medics could arrive, the little girl was clinging to her life, confused and broken. There are no words to describe how she was feeling but it must have been devastating. Her entire world turned upside down and she was left in the vehicle to see it before her eyes. During this terrifying time, a motorist, Laylani Collins, came to her rescue. When she arrived on the scene, she saw both vehicles toppled over on different ends. Soon, she realized that Katelynn was alive. She immediately approached the girl.
“I just did it because it wasn’t a second thought in my mind to just help someone,” Collins remarked. She also mentioned that it was unexpected for her to turn up at the accident scene as she was supposed to take the previous exit. “I think it was nobody but God because I missed my exit,” she explained. There was not much Collins could do given the intense situation. She had to act cautiously as she didn’t know where the teen was injured or affected. While Katelynn remained in her car, Collins spoke to her and tried to comfort her. She first asked her if she could feel her toes. “She was like, ‘I can feel my toes. I can feel my legs,’ and she started to move her legs, and I said, ‘Don’t move them,’” the motorist recalled.
While she couldn’t offer medical help, she stayed with the girl and talked her through. “I was able to pray for her, rub her hand and kind of keep her calm because she was freaking out,” she noted. Having a comforting voice and hand to hold in those shattering moments undoubtedly made a massive difference for the teenager. It was later discovered that Katelynn had a pelvic bone injury, among a few others. A GoFundMe has been set up and the family has received nearly $30,000 to help with whatever finances follow, including the funeral and Katelynn’s treatment. The girl was also discharged from the hospital on July 30. While our prayers go out to the bereaved families, there is also a hope that people will reach out like Collins did at a time when it’s needed the most.