A group of Iowa State football players are being credited with saving a woman's life after rescuing her from a sinking car in South Texas earlier this month.
According to a story published by Tommy Birch in the Des Moines Register Thursday, 22-year-old Luisa Maria Castro was saved by a handful of Cyclones football players after her vehicle slid into a canal along Laguna Madre Bay.
Senior Cyclones linebacker Anthony Lazard says he and his teammates saw the car in the water and could hear Castro inside as the vehicle began to sink.
"She was like 'Get me out! Get me out! Get me out!'" Lazard said.
He and teammates Jack Spreen, Josh Jahlas and Spencer Benton entered the water and began attempting to break the half-submerged car's windshield.
"I was worried that we were going to watch this girl drown to death, because no matter how hard we were hitting it, it wasn't cracking or spidering for a while," Lazard said.
Eventually, with the help of Castro kicking from the inside, they were able to make a hole in the windshield and widen it enough to pull her through.
Responding authorities said the players' actions undoubtedly saved Castro's life.
"That car completely sank in less than a minute, and if not for them jumping into the water and pulling the driver out, she would most certainly would have drowned," said office Michael Schilitz in a statement from the city to Birch.
"They really are heroes," Castro told Birch in an interview. "And I am forever grateful for what they did."
Castro was arrested after the incident and charged with driving under the influence. She remains grateful for her impromptu rescuers.
"I have no words to express how appreciative I am of them," Castro said. "Even when I messaged them, I still felt that the words or what I was saying to them to thank them and how grateful I was...it just felt like that wasn't enough."
As for Lazard and company, they just wanted to get home. =
Yeah. That's enough for one break.
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