Mercedes Boggs, a young woman from Kentucky, narrowly escaped death when her car hit a patch of ice, flipped on its side, and slid down an embankment into a frigid creek. Trapped inside her mangled vehicle with cold water rushing in, she regained consciousness and felt a sense of despair. However, fate intervened when a stranger appeared, making his way toward her. In that moment, Boggs felt a sense of relief, stating, “When I saw him, it was just like everything was fine. I wasn’t even scared anymore. I just knew that that was like my saving grace.”
The stranger, identified as John Burke, a Kentucky coal miner, was on his way home from his night shift when he witnessed the accident. Without hesitation, he stopped to help. Burke freed Boggs from her vehicle and was assisting her up the embankment when her car burst into flames. Had he arrived just half a minute later; Boggs would likely have perished in the ensuing explosion.
After an ambulance crew took charge, Burke continued on his way, unaware of the scale of kindness he had done, and inspired. Meanwhile, Boggs was rushed to the hospital without knowing the name of her saviour. In a desperate attempt to find and thank him, she turned to social media, posting a heartfelt plea on Facebook. Within hours, her post was shared nearly 900 times, catching Burke’s attention, who then reached out to her.
When Boggs spoke with Burke, she expressed her immense gratitude, but he downplayed his role, not seeing himself as a hero. However, Boggs and her family viewed him as a true superhero. “Kids look up to Batman and Superman; that’s how I look at John now. He will forever be my hero,” she told News outlets. Burke’s selfless act of kindness not only saved Boggs’ life but has also restored faith in humanity.