Greensboro woman reunited with good Samaritans who saved her from burning vehicle

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Greensboro woman saved from a burning vehicle had a chance to meet with the two quick-thinking guardian angels who helped save her life.

Paulette Hatcher was traveling in the westbound lane of Bryan Boulevard in Greensboro on Monday around 5:30 p.m. when the vehicle in front of hers struck a deer. That crash led to Hatcher's vehicle rear-ending the vehicle.

"The next thing I know, I see sparks fly and everything. And fire's shooting up at the base of my windshield," said Hatcher from her hospital bed.

Two women - Elizabeth Crutchfield and Dana Caudle - rushed towards her to help.

"People were driving by and I was like 'what are you doing,'" recalled Caudle.

They were able to pull Hatcher from the vehicle, as firefighters deployed a hose line over the median to extinguish the flames.

"When I saw that (Paulette) was moving, I knew that we had a chance. For me, it was instinct. It was we have to help her. We have to do something about this," said Crutchfield.

Hatcher was then transported to Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, where Crutchfield coincidentally works.

"This was half the reason why I wanted to become a nurse is to help others. And I will always put my life on the line for others," said Crutchfield.

Hatcher suffered a fractured ankle and foot, broken sternum, three cervical neck fractures and a broken tailbone; she was also treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

"I praise the girls. I can't say enough about them that they were willing to risk their lives," Hatcher said. "I mean the first girl that got up there with the girl, the car was blazing like that, she didn't know when the car was going to blow up. She had no idea. So she was risking her life trying to get me out."