Nineteen-year-old line cook Juan Mendoza thought he was simply driving his girlfriend to class on a rainy afternoon in southern Texas. Instead, he found himself rushing into the middle of a dangerous rescue.
As Mendoza drove along the highway, he saw a car lose control after a collision, spin across the wet roadway, and come to rest amid traffic. Worried that children might be inside—thinking of his own younger siblings—he pulled over without hesitation. Smoke rose from the wreck as Mendoza ran toward the vehicle, clearing debris and trying to reach those trapped inside, CBS News reports.
Inside the car were Juan and Adriana O’Matta, an elderly couple returning from a medical appointment when their vehicle was struck and thrown into traffic. “Nobody stopped,” said Juan O’Matta, who is turning 80 this month. “He was the only one who stopped.” Adriana later described Mendoza as her “angel.”
Video from the scene shows Mendoza sprinting across lanes of traffic and helping pull the couple from their damaged car. The O’Mattas survived the crash but never learned the name of the young man who helped save them. Determined to find him, they were eventually reunited with Mendoza with the help of CBS News contributor David Begnaud during a televised meeting at the Texas Roadhouse where Mendoza works.
The reunion led to another life-changing moment. Justin Back, president of Acadian Ambulance Service, attended the gathering and offered Mendoza a full scholarship to train as an emergency medical technician, along with a job offer contingent on completing the program. Mendoza told Begnaud that he dreams of becoming a nurse but had struggled to afford the necessary education. According to myRGV.com, he has already begun the EMT training program.
Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez also honored Mendoza with a city proclamation declaring an official “Juan Mendoza Day.” Despite the recognition, Mendoza downplayed his actions, saying he simply did what his parents taught him was right.
