'He's my hero. That's all I can say'

LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- For Mary Healey, taking small steps isn't just a motto she lives by now; it's her reality.

Healey was the victim of a hit-and-run crash. But thanks to the quick-thinking of a complete stranger, she's alive to talk about it.

"He's my hero. That's all I can say," she said.

Healey's terrifying ordeal began when an out-of-control pickup truck ran over a tree, tore through the bushes, smashed into and ripped off a gas pump. The car then pinned Healey, who was pumping gas, against her minivan. She was knocked down, and her right foot, which was pinned against the curb, was nearly severed.

"(I) don't remember anything, didn't hear anything, didn't see anything," she said. "All I know is the next thing - I was waking up in Harborview (Medical Center), in intensive care."

Jose Delgado, a private first class and a medic in the Army at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord didn't see the accident, but was the first to arrive on scene and respond.

"I was scared at first when I ran up. But after that, I just let everything kick in that I knew how to do," he said. "I grabbed a belt off of this this guy walking by. I tied it off, and I got duct tape from the store to save as much of the leg as we possibly could."

Delgado's actions saved Healey's life.

And for his life-saving service, Lakewood Mayor Douglas Richardson recognized Delgado with an award. But Delgado says knowing that Healey survived the crash is reward enough.

"I'm so glad she's alive and she got her foot back," he said. "I thank God for the skills, and I thank the Army for giving me the training."

As for Healey, she's grateful to have another chance at taking life one step at a time.