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Mother who had given birth 3 days earlier helps rescue truck driver from fiery crash

Mother helps rescue truck driver from crash
Mother helps rescue truck driver from fiery crash 01:34

Indianapolis — When a mother who had recently given birth saw a fiery crash in Indiana Thursday, she ran toward the flames to rescue a truck driver.

"I saw him coming out of a huge plume of smoke with fire coming off of his head and down his back," said Holly McNally. 

As CBS affiliate WTTV reports, she was on her way home with her mother when they saw the tanker. It was hauling jet fuel when it overturned, as it was trying to exit Interstate 70 east.

"I said, 'Honey what are you hauling, what's at our feet?' And he said 'Jet fuel.' I said, 'Oh my gosh you guys, we've got to hustle,'" McNally said. 

She said a "maternal instinct" is what made her run toward danger. That's probably because she had just given birth to her fourth child five days ago, a son named Conner. Trooper Chris Hanson arrived as she and two other good Samaritans were dragging the driver away, just before a second explosion.

"Three selfless people said not today not on our watch," Hanson said.

McNally said she plans to tell her son she was "tough." But Hanson has another description.

"Tell him mommy was a hero," he said. "That's what I'll tell him myself." 

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