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His Faith Moved Him to Pull a Woman from a Burning Car

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Senior Chief Thomas Gentry is being called a hero.

Earlier this month, the Navy corpsman risked his life to pull a woman from a burning car on Interstate 264 in Virginia Beach.

"I was coming up from Virginia Beach headed to Norfolk and I saw this car stopped in the middle of the road so I kind of went around it to the right and went ahead, and then I started to slow down because I just knew the traffic wasn't going to be able to stop from hitting it," Gentry told CBN News. "And sure enough the car was involved in an accident, and it was just horrific."

Police say the car broke down in the travel lane, and a truck then crashed into it, causing the car to spin around and hit a bus. The impact caused the car to catch on fire.

Gentry decided to head back to the accident and help.

"(I) got off my bike, ran up to the car and encountered a(n) unconscious female driver and a semi-conscious male passenger, also flames on the left lower part of the car," Gentry said. "With the flames spreading, my main concern was just, 'She needs to get out of here, get out of the vehicle, or she's going to die."

Gentry told CBN News the woman's seat belt was stuck, and he asked if anyone at the scene had a knife to cut her loose. Someone did have a knife, and Gentry pulled her to safety as the fire reached the back of the front seats.

"The fire (spread) so quickly from the time that I arrived to the vehicle 'til the time I pulled her out that I could feel the heat on the left side of my body as I was reaching into pull her out so I knew I had to move quickly," Gentry explained.

Gentry believes his Christian faith motivated him to return to the three-vehicle crash.

"I just knew it was the right thing for me to do," he said. "I feel like God used me, and I also felt like it was my responsibility to go back as a corpsman and help."

The man in the passenger seat also made it out of the car, surviving the crash.

Sadly, a 5-month-old girl died in the crash and her 2-year-old sister died later from injuries sustained in the accident, both daughters of the woman whom Gentry rescued.

Their deaths have understandably shaken up the corpsman.

"It's been a challenge for me over the last week because I have seen the family several times; they want me around them," Gentry shared. "And to be quite honest, it helps me also to be around them."

"But it has been a challenge because of the children," he continued. "I did not see the infant in the back mostly due to the damage that that vehicle had. The back of the vehicle was pretty much up against the front seats. So there was no way for me to see the infant."

Gentry learned from the experience, and he has a message for others.

"Pay it forward, and the reason why I say that is 'cause just last year my wife was in an accident on 264, and someone stopped and helped her," he said. "So our family was very appreciative and grateful."

"I would say if there's anything that you can do to help someone in a time of need like this without putting yourself at risk kind of like I did -- be smart about it -- because after the fact that was on my mind also is the amount of risk involved with the fire and the gas, but do something if you can," he continued.

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About The Author

Mark
Martin

Mark Martin currently serves as a reporter and anchor at CBN News, reporting on all kinds of issues, from military matters to alternative fuels. Mark has reported internationally in the Middle East. He traveled to Bahrain and covered stories on the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mark also anchors CBN News Midday on the CBN Newschannel and fills in on the anchor desk for CBN News' Newswatch and The 700 Club. Prior to CBN News, Mark worked at KFSM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There he served as a weekend morning producer, before being promoted to general