On March 16, Luisa Castro got behind the wheel of her car after having a few too many beverages and crashed into the waters of the Laguna Madre Bay in South Padre Island, Texas.
Fortunately for her, a few brave individuals from the Iowa State football team sprang into action and saved her life. Senior linebacker Anthony Lazard saw the car crash into the water from his hotel balcony. Lazard quickly notified his fellow teammates, Jack Spreen and Joe Doran about what he saw. The three men raced into the water to try and pull Castro out. After multiple failed attempts of breaking the driver window, the three men forced a hole into the damaged windshield and pulled her to safety.
"'That car completely sank in less than a minute, and if not for them jumping into the water and pulling the driver out, she would most certainly have drowned,'" witnessing officer Michael Schiltz said in a statement released by the South Padre Island Public Information Officer."
"I have no words to express how appreciative I am of them," Castro said in an interview with the Register. "'Even when I messaged them, I still felt that the words or what I was saying to them to thank them and how grateful I was -- it just felt like that wasn't enough.'"
The quote given by Castro was to The Des Moines Register. While some of us may be angry at her for getting behind the wheel while intoxicated (and rightfully so), this story shows the quick-thinking and kindness that people have. These Iowa State football players gave a young lady another chance in life and deserve every positive word they earn.
Kudos to these Iowa State football players and the coaching staff for molding young men into heroes.
Iowa State players Anthony Lazard, left, and Jack Spreen, center, along with former player Joe Doran, right, show off their wounds that occurred during a March 16 rescue in South Padre Island, Texas.
(Thanks to ESPN for the story and quotations).