A mother and her two daughters met the man who helped rescue them when a tree fell on top of their car.
"The oldest one kept saying mommy, mommy. Ripping your heart out and there was no movement in the front of the car," said Don Dezort, the man who helped rescue the family.
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"That's what breaks my heart, that they were calling for me and I wasn't answering," Julie Makuta said.
Last week Makuta was taking her kids to preschool on Mt. Royal Boulevard when a huge tree came crashing down on a school bus. The children on the bus were unharmed.
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But Dezort, who was across the street, realized that the massive tree also hit Julie's car and ran to help.
"I undid the seat belt on the oldest of the kids and she reached right up to get her out of the car," Dezort said.
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After getting the kids out, Dezort went back to check on Makuta, who was pinned in the car.
"I just held her hand. I told her help is on the way, 'cause I called 911. I said ' I can't get you, but i can stay here with you.'"
Dezort and Makuta reunited on Thursday to piece together what happened and help her healing. Makuta has no memory of the events that day.
They were strangers brought together that morning.
"Thank you. That's not adequate at all. I'm so grateful you were there and I'm so grateful that you took action and got my girls out," Makuta said.
Now they are friends bonded by gratitude.
Cox Media Group
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