Seville woman honored for rescuing man from burning car

MEDINA, Ohio - The Ohio State Highway Patrol honors 52 year old Medina County woman for her brave act that saved a man's life.

On March 25, 52 year old Debra Stitt put her life on the line when she saw someone trapped in a burning car. Her immediate reaction was to help.

The 18-year-old driver lost control of his KIA Spectra on Seville Road in Westfield Township. Authorities said he drove off the road and hit a large rock.

Then, the car caught fire from the impact of the crash. Seriously injured, and stuck inside, the 18-year-old could only pray someone came to his rescue.

Stitt was driving by and saw the car in flames. She stopped her vehicle and ran to the burning one to see if anyone needed help.

After a few attempts, she was finally able to pry the door open and pull the 18-year-old out of the burning car to safety.

"Then my mom strength kicked in and I pried it open. He was in some pain I told him I had to move cause the car was engulfed in flames and we needed to get him out of there," said Stitt.

Ohio State Highway Patrol officers think what Stitt did was heroic and commendable. So together with Ohio Speaker of The House William Batchelder and Representative David Hall, they gave Stitt a hero's honor.

"By looking at this vehicle the aftermath of this vehicle, witness testimonies, and talking to Debbie herself about what she had to do there's no doubt in my mind that she simply saved this young boy's life," explained Lt. Bill Haymaker.

Debra was too antsy to wait to go grocery shopping with her boyfriend that fateful day. Looking back she said she believes divine intervention pushed her out of the house to the scene to bring the eighteen year old out alive.

"It just happened so perfectly that I was there at the exact moment that he needed to be pulled out cause had I not been there something really bad would've happened," she said.