Local Woman Meets With First Responders Following Accident
By Todd Quinones
MARPLE TOWNSHIP, Pa., (CBS) – A Delaware County woman rescued from a serious accident met the first responders Tuesday.
The last time Rosemary Nocella met them, she was pinned underneath her SUV with her leg and lower body twisted around the front wheel.
"I really thought I will probably die tonight and I thought of my children and my husband, and then I thought 911," said Nocella.
"We know what to do and when to do it," said Assistant Chief Andy Tucker of Marple Township Ambulance Corps.
"She was severed injured and we needed to extricate her as quickly as possible," said another first responder.
Rosemary parked her vehicle on her steep driveway back in March.
When she went to get something out of the back it began rolling backwards pulling her underneath and rolling over her.
She believes she didn't fully press the emergency brake. A neighbor who just happened to be outside heard her screams and called 911.
"I had tremendous multiple fractures of the right leg and what we call crush injuries of the left leg. I had bilateral pelvic fractures, I had fractured ribs," said Nocella.
"It was one of the hardest extrications I've been on. I've been involved in fire EMS for about 10 years now," said Ethan Toy, former Ambulance Corp. member.
In order to get Rosemary out from underneath her car, emergency personnel had to contend with the steep driveway. They had to lift the car using airbags, and then they had to take off the front tire.
"She needed a lot of medical attention very quickly. And that's why we flew her to Penn Presbyterian," said Tucker.
To show her appreciation Rosemary came to the Marple Township Ambulance Corps Tuesday night.
While still going through a lengthy recovery, she wanted to be there to say thank you and watch as the men and women who saved her life were awarded citations.
"These people saved my life. Truly, they saved my life," she said.
