JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 A Clay County woman says she\u2019s grateful to be alive after bystanders helped her escape her car following a rollover crash into a Jacksonville retention pond. <\/p>\n
Destiny Boyette of Middleburg says after 7 am on August 17, she was driving on the First Coast Expressway (Florida State Road 23) headed towards I-10 when she crashed. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just remember hitting a bump, and I ran off the road a little bit,\u201d said Boyette. \u201cI overcorrected. So I started swerving like crazy. Just going all over the road and then ended up flipping and I landed in the pond. I think I\u2019ve flipped about three times before I landed in the pond,\u201d she recalled. <\/p>\n
Boyette says despite fearing death, she was determined to be a survivor.<\/p>\n
\u201c…Just remembered the water filling up in the car so fast…. I crawled to the back of my car and I started hitting on the back window…I was only able to get it halfway down. I was able to press the button, and I was only able to get it halfway down,\u201d Boyette remembered. <\/p>\n
Destiny says a man, part of a group of good samaritans, jumped in the pond, opened her car door, and helped her swim up to safety. She says women onshore even stayed and prayed with her until first responders arrived.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so thankful I don\u2019t think I would\u2019ve been able to get out of that car without the guy that jumped in the water or any of the women there,\u201d Boyette recalled. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just remember thinking I\u2019m probably gonna be paralyzed for the rest of my life, I\u2019m probably gonna be messed up after this, but I\u2019m just happy to be alive,\u201d Boyette told Action News Jax\u2019s Zion Decoteau. <\/p>\n
As fate would have it, Destiny is not paralyzed. She can walk\u2014although right now it\u2019s challenging\u2014with the help of a back brace.<\/p>\n
Now she\u2019s paying it forward. Her Facebook page is filled with tips on how to survive accidents like hers, like staying calm and even emergency supplies like window-breaking tools. With a second chance at life, she wants to have more life experiences.<\/p>\n
\u201c…Because if I would\u2019ve went out like that, I would\u2019ve probably been mad,\u201d said Boyette. <\/p>\n
Overall, Boyette says she\u2019s just grateful to be on the right side of the dirt. <\/p>\n
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