The pregnant woman who escaped from a vehicle fire on I-10 East in Lafayette has reunited with her rescuer.
Alfrelisha Thibeaux met Connor Manuel Tuesday as she and her family presented the Good Samaritan with gifts and balloons.
Thibeaux says she is thankful for Manuel, calling him a humble and beautiful soul after he stopped on the side of the interstate when he noticed she was having trouble with her truck.
“Before he could even get too close to the truck, he noticed the small fire underneath, and that’s when he signaled me to get out,” said Thibeaux.
Manuel is humbled but doesn’t consider himself a hero.
“It was just like an everyday thing for him, and that day was my miracle,” said Thibeaux.
Mauel is a volunteer firefighter in St. Landry Parish, so he’s used to saving lives, especially when seconds matter most.
“It was very scary. I just made it in seconds. I closed the passenger door; the hood went up, and I went straight to the ditch. It was like seconds. I barely made it. Thank God I didn’t have my kids that morning,” said the pregnant mother.
Manuel tells KATC that he stops every time he sees a burning vehicle to lend a hand because one of his friends died in a burning vehicle about two years ago.
Thibeaux further expressed her appreciation on Facebook:
“We can’t thank u enough Connor Manuel. May God bless your whole path in life. It was a normal routine to stop and check for you that turned out to be the miracle stop I needed that morning. Money, gifts, balloons, and your favorite cookie cake will never compare to the to lives that you help save but it was very well deserved!! Such a humble and beautiful soul. Glad to meet you and your mother. God Bless Y’all!”
