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A pair of Oklahoma high school sophomores rescued another teenage driver who crashed into a pond while having a medical issue, according to a report.
The crash occurred Monday near 121st Street and Memorial Drive in Bixby, where witnesses said a white sedan crossed over four lanes and continued into the pond, KOTV reported.
Posted by KOTV – News On 6 on Friday, May 6, 2022
Bixby High School sophomores Joey Toma and Brody Duffel, who KOTV reporter Chinh Doan noted play football and lacrosse, had just finished football practice and were heading home when they came across the accident.
“We pulled over and hopped out and asked him, ‘You going in?’ He’s like, ‘Yep,’ and so he can see him start throwing his clothes off,” Toma told KOTV, recounting his conversation with Duffel.
Duffel and a second good Samaritan entered the water to extract the driver, 16-year-old Catie Copenhaver, as Joey called 911 to report the accident.
“I was able to pull that door open and, luckily, before too much water pressure got on it, so I pulled the door open and she kind of fell out of the car and into the other guy, and we were able to pull her up and get her up on the bank,” Brody told KOTV.
Thankfully, Copenhaver did not suffer any injuries during the crash, according to the outlet.
Though the victim and her rescuers are close in age, they did not know each other as she goes to a different high school. Duffel and Toma found her on social media, and the three reunited.
Catie handed both of the young men cards before hugging and thanking them for their efforts on Monday, according to KOTV’s video of the meeting.
“You could have just watched my car go and just been like, ‘Oh, that sucks,’ but you acted, and that’s what’s really special,” Catie told her rescuers.
The Bixby Public School Board of Education will recognize the two young heroes at a meeting on Monday, KOTV noted. The board’s meeting agenda states that the teens will receive the Spartan Courage Award.
