A Hero

A Hero

On September 3rd, 2024, Stephen Zilch, was on his way home from working the night shift at Walmart, when up ahead he saw a bright light.  As Stephen drove closer, he noticed an overturned Jeep was on fire.  He  called 911  and was told to stay away from the burning vehicle.  But instead Stephen immediately said, “ It’s on fire, I can’t do that .”  Stephen detailed vehicles in the past, and knew where the gas tank was located.  So, he sprung into action as the fire crawled up the exhaust pipe, and knew he only had a few minutes to save the girl.  He dug the door was wedged  into the ground. Fighting the knee high weeds, Stephen was able to loosen the door and free the girl.  About ten feet away from the vehicle, the Jeep exploded. 

Kari Ann Miller, said, She doesn’t remember much of the accident.”  She remembers driving home from work and glancing at her phone, when the passenger side tire went onto the shoulder, and while trying to correct, the vehicle shook. 

Kari Ann said, “ I remember up until the end of the gravel before crashing.  I remember my car blowing up, Stephen’s face, and a helicopter lifting me off.”  Kari Ann rebroke an ankle, tore every ligament all the way down, a broken nose, two black eyes,  and shattered her vertebrae.  Her spine had to be reconstructed with two screws in each vertebrae, and two titanium rods. 

Kari Ann said, “ don’t look at your phone while driving.  An accident is life changing, for sure. There are a bunch of things I can never do again.”  Kari Ann will stop in at Walmart, to hug and thank Stephen for his heroism and saving her life.