NORFOLK, Va. - Instinct overtook Thomas Gentry as he turned around and tried to help after a horrific crash on 264.
"I was going to do whatever it took," said Gentry. The Navy Corpsman, who has medical training, pulled a woman out of a burning car car after cutting off her seat belt. "The car's on fire. I have to get this lady out of she's going to die," he said he was thinking. "I didn't want to see what happen because that's not what we do as Corpsmen."
Monday's crash led to the death of five-month old Alegacee Pearl Bell, according to the family's attorney.
LaTisha Pearl hold's her two daughters involved in Monday's crash.
Gentry didn't know a baby was in the car. He wanted to tell that to family members of the little girl when he met them at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital on Tuesday night. "They just wanted hugs, so that's what I gave them," said Gentry. "I needed some closure for myself after all this."
The family is still gathered at the hospital. Ajournee, who is just two-years old, is fighting for her life. The mom, LaTisha, still has along road ahead, but is now breathing on her own. Gentry talked to her during the meeting. "I got to see the victim recovering and let her know that we're thinking of her. We're praying for her. We want her to recover completely."
As he thinks back to the rescue, he admits it was risky, but he has no second thoughts. "It could've been me if [the car] would've exploded," he said. "It wasn't my turn and I was able to help."
