Bravery meets faith on the precipice of danger.
That’s what happened on the Clark Memorial Bridge recently, and it’s a story that’ll stick with us long after the moment has passed.
A Sysco semi-truck tangled in a 3-vehicle mess was teetering on the edge of the bridge connecting Kentucky and Indiana.
The cab dangling 100 feet above the Ohio River looked like a scene from a high-stakes action movie.
This was reality, though, and inside a woman, a military veteran, was trapped.
Her life was suspended in the balance.
Enter firefighter Bryce Carden from Louisville Fire, who literally swung into action.
Carden, a 6-year veteran with the department, rappelled from the bridge down to the dangling cab in a rescue operation that seemed straight out of a training manual – except it was all too real.
“We’ve done some crazy things, but this tops it all,” Carden said, a statement that puts into perspective the scale of what they were dealing with.
His recount of the event emphasizes not just the physical act of the rescue, but the mental fortitude of both him and the driver.
Here’s where the story takes a turn toward the extraordinary.
In a moment that could have been clouded by panic and fear, Carden and the driver shared something incredibly powerful: prayer.
“She was praying a lot, and I prayed with her,” Carden revealed.
It’s a line that highlights not just the physical rescue but a spiritual one, where two strangers connected on a profound level, placing their faith in something greater in the face of uncertainty.
“The whole country was praying for her. God is good,” one commenter reflected, encapsulating the collective hope and faith of many who were moved by the rescue.
Another added, “The Lord was with her, the angle her truck hit the bridge, the cab and truck remaining stable, praise God for His angels who have charge over us, to keep us ‘in all of our ways’ ❤️🙏🏻❤️🙌🏻❤️ Praying for the other person injured in their car, may God restore their health and give them a fast recovery❤️🙏🏻❤️”, highlighting the miraculous nature of the situation and extending prayers for all involved.
Praise God indeed!
The driver’s bravery throughout her ordeal didn’t go unnoticed.
“She handled it like a champ,” was how Fire Chief Brian O’Neill described her composure.
The way she managed to stay calm, with her life literally hanging in the balance, impressed everyone involved.
Once she was safely rescued, the pent-up emotions of the harrowing experience were finally released, a natural reaction to having faced and overcome such a perilous situation.
A particularly touching comment came from a family member of the woman rescued.
They expressed heartfelt thanks to the first responders, especially Bryce Carden. “I want to thank the first responders for saving my family member from the truck today.. Especially Bryce Carden..We are so thankful.. No words can describe that Moment..God is good..”
This event acknowledges the skill and courage of firefighters and the power of human connection and faith in the direst of circumstances.
Truly, though, it magnifies the glory of God.
Hear Bryce recall the whole ordeal in the interview below!
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