Heroic Neighbor Braves Icy Waters to Save Elderly Woman Trapped in Sinking Car

In a harrowing incident, a woman was hospitalized after her car plunged into a canal in Sunrise, Florida. Neighbors recounted the terrifying moments they tried to rescue the trapped woman, with one heroic bystander jumping into the icy water to save her from a tragic fate.

Neighbors Witness Dramatic Rescue Attempt as Elderly Woman's Car Submerges

The Fateful Plunge

The incident occurred around 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday at 3730 North Pine Island Road. According to local authorities, the elderly woman, who had reportedly been experiencing health issues and difficulty parking, accidentally drove her Toyota sedan into the adjacent canal. As the car began sinking, neighbors immediately sprang into action, desperate to save the woman's life.

A Heroic Leap into the Unknown

Ovidio Romero, a nearby resident, recounted the harrowing moments as he tried to rescue the trapped woman. "You could see everything, only the tires had sunk. I wanted to get in, but since I was calling 911 and on the line, there was no one else to help me–until I hung up and got in," Romero said. Despite the perilous conditions, Romero made the brave decision to jump into the water, determined to reach the woman before it was too late.

A Race Against Time

As Romero approached the sinking car, the situation took a desperate turn. "When she saw I was going in to help her, she lowered her window and it got full of water and went down," he recalled. With the woman's car rapidly submerging, Romero knew he had to act quickly to save her life.

Neighbors' Harrowing Pleas for Help

Nearby residents, including Sorisbeth Sibada, watched in horror as the drama unfolded. "She lowered the window and was saying, 'Help me, help me,'" Sibada recounted, her voice trembling with emotion. The elderly woman's cries for help only added to the urgency of the situation, as neighbors frantically tried to coordinate a successful rescue.

Uncertain Fate and Aftermath

It remains unclear who ultimately managed to pull the woman from the submerged vehicle, but she was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Her current condition is not known. Hours later, the heavily damaged Toyota was extracted from the canal, a grim reminder of the perilous ordeal.Ovidio Romero, the heroic neighbor who risked his own life to save the trapped woman, reflected on the incident with a mix of relief and concern. "You'd always see her and she'd sometimes have difficulty getting into the car," he said, his words tinged with a sense of tragedy and the urgency to prevent such accidents in the future.This harrowing incident serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of community vigilance and the willingness to take immediate action in the face of life-threatening emergencies. Ovidio Romero's selfless act of bravery is a testament to the power of human compassion and the lengths that some will go to save a fellow citizen in need.