A family’s vacation ended in tragedy after a crash claimed a young mother’s life. A good Samaritan witnessed the crash, and immediately helped rescue two toddlers trapped inside the burning car.
WALA reports mom Amanda Murley, 26, was on her way to Tennessee home from a vacation in Destin, Florida, when her car collided head-on with another vehicle.
Murley and the 64-year-old driver of the other car both died.
Inside Murley’s car was her fiance, her 2-year-old son, her sister and her 2-year-old nephew.
James Ladnier, an Army veteran and former volunteer firefighter, witnessed the crash and quickly pulled over to help, along with several other drivers.
“It was very frantic for the most part,” said Ladnier. “Everybody was running around trying to help in some way, shape or form.”
The car was on fire, and they all were fighting to get everyone out of the car safely.
Both toddlers were strapped into the back seat. Luckily Ladnier was able to pull both of them out before the inside of the car became engulfed in flames.
The veteran spent the day at the hospital with the family. Both toddlers were hospitalized, one now without a mother.
"I can't imagine the pain the family is going through right now," Ladnier told WALA.
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