It has been nearly 3 months since we all witnessed this scene we were all praying for the driver in that semi and her Rescuers hanging on every second and hello everybody thank you very much for joining us tonight at 6 I'm Doug profit and now you're going to meet her for the very first time she's telling her story in this WHAS11 News exclusive interview.
It's the Miracle On The Second Street Bridge the driver of that semi that hung over the Ohio River for a scary 40 minutes suspended not knowing if that truck would give way any time I sat down with Sydney Thomas just this week for her very first interview joined by WHAS11 journalist Charlene Shanklin and photojournalists Philip murl and Paul.
Dunford with her okay we met back overlooking where the world watched it all happen this is a big moment for you mhm this is the closest I've been to it but since since March 1st mhm healing and coming to grips with a true miracle 26-year-old Sydney Thomas told me that just looking at the Second Street Bridge again is a major part of how she's.
Moving forward now I'm starting to you know heal because she knows why she is still here today sometimes you pray and I'm guilty of this sometimes I pray and I don't think God is listening but he was that day Hey nearly 3 months after she and her semi dangled right off the side of that bridge she will return to work for Cisco.
On June 1st is that the first time you've seen it since the accident this close yeah I don't know I just um it is kind of hard to look at but I mean I'm not there I'm here it was Friday March 1st at noon she says she was behind schedule it happened and it happened so fast to get to a delivery on time she took her company's.
Approved direct route in her semi the Second Street Bridge a pickup truck and the two southbound Lanes from he crossed over into the northbound lane and then he hit me and once he hit me he took my suspension out which meant that I can't it it didn't matter which way I turn the wheel the truck was going to go whatever Direction it wanted to go in I felt.
Myself veering off to the left and then I saw myself going over the railing and I was like well this is it you you knew you were going over the rail I did well not not immediately after the impact but I say like 2 seconds later I held on to the wheel and once he hit I could cuz I couldn't swerve into the other lane you know I they that's what they tell you.
When you learn how to drive a truck you just keep going straight it don't matter because if you go in deterr off you can make it worse than if you just take your head on and so I did that the next few moments would become the event viewed live by people around the world when I went through the railing I was like I I was just thinking like wow this is crazy.
To die like this you know and I really thought that I was about to die and I was like well I can try to hurry up and take the seat belt off and jump out of the truck if I have enough time to you were thinking this when I felt myself going over I'm like I'mma have to jump I can't swim either I didn't know how bad it was I thought that the trailer was.
Still on the bridge I didn't know that it was like this and the clock started ticking would the semi hold when it caught the bridge I just I froze but I was thinking of a Exit Plan if it was even possible if it starts going you going to have to move fast you going to have to unbuckle that seat Bel and open that door and jump out cuz if not you're.
Going to drown I would rather drown trying to swim than be submerged underneath the water and not be able to get out now for the first time we're also learning that a man another driver on the bridge leaned over the side of it and started shouting down to Sydney keeping her calm and I just looked up and I saw people coming towards you know.
The the railing and it was you know talking to me and it was one man he um he stayed with me the whole full time and talked to me until the firefighters came but inside the truck cab all alone it was a much different story it's like sitting like this but the river is right in front of you that's that's what I saw yeah she told me her military.
Training kicked in and that reassuring voice from above on the bridge continued I have to be still cuz if I move an inch the truck might shift and fall over and I started praying and you know I kept asking the person I was talking to you know how long is it going to be are they are they on the way and he kept saying they on the way they coming they coming.
When you say you were still and Frozen what do you mean by that I had my hand on the steering wheel gripped on it and I just was trying to you know I had my foot on the on the break too and I sat like that for a long time 40 minutes yep I was trying to just stay calm and just hope and pray that they would be able to get me out cuz I didn't think they would.
Be able to as the scene was broadcast worldwide her co-workers started calling Sydney's cell phone which had been thrown right to the floor did they think you would answer I guess so I guess if you know they called it I guess they thought that I was going to be fidgeting around in the truck and I'm like no she waited for her Rescuers I was like I.
Can't believe this that I'm really hanging over the river and and I was in shock I was like this is crazy suddenly Louisville firefighter Bryce carten appeared suspended in the air next to her window you know he was like are you a Praying Woman and I was like yep and we just we just started praying and their prayers together I got what I.
Prayed for and somebody came and got me out of the truck we were praying you know just to get back on the ground and out of Harm's Way one scary moment that stunned both of them was when after 40 minutes she finally took her foot off the air brakes they let out a loud bang he was trying to make sure I stay calm and I didn't start doing anything that.
Could compromise our safety we was telling me you know just it's it's only going to be a little bit longer you know and then the rescue there was no open door he pulled me through the window um they lowered him down he gave me the harness I put the harness on but I still have my seat belt on so he had to cut me out of my seat belt finally in the.
Embrace of Bryce the scene we all watch so closely the slow rise back to the Second Street bridge I knew I was going to fall out but it was just terrifying to be that high up in the air and look down and all you see is is the Ohio River it was hard so I try to keep my head up and not look down and then the moment I just kept crying out the God.
You know please Lord just give me another chance the moment her feet touched touch that bridge one of the first things I said to them when I got on the bridge was did anybody die even me knowing that this wasn't my fault I still don't want that on my mind that somebody I was involved in an accident where somebody passed away she has since.
Reunited to thank Bryce who has said publicly many times Sydney's ability to keep it together helped him make a quick exit with her he is a really kind person and I'm very embra I wouldn't have been able to go repel down off of a bridge and get I wouldn't be able to do that I'm I I admire him a lot and you know I appreciate him him.
And his wife are very kind people back to work June 1st well she's into it calling Cisco her extended family what do you think about driving across Bridges these days as long as it ain't that one I'm I can I as long as I got enough Lanes to move around in and I'm not limited to to two very narrow Lanes you know I as long.
As I get across I'm good walking with her overlooking the place where she stared down death it's clear Sydney Thomas has no doubts about what made the miracle on the Second Street bridge I have my moments but God has me here for a reason and I have to fulfill my purpose I can't let something like that stop me from doing what I'm supposed to.
Do for him because he brought me out of it you know and he he doesn't want me to just live in fear the rest of my life and I I know that she is truly remarkable I do want to say you know sometimes in life uh you do meet people who put our lives in perspective in this big world and Sydney did that for me and I hope that's your.
Take away from our interview tonight we do want to let you know that Sydney story does not stop here at 6:00 coming up all new on the wh1 night team her surprising message for the driver Trevor Brandon Who police say caused the crash you're also going to meet her dad Mark her Rock he's an 18year semi Tru driver he actually saw the semi hanging over.
The bridge as he was crossing the Kennedy and then she is able to laugh at some things like what happened when an Uber driver recently picked her up and has heading right to the Second Street Bridge that's all coming your way tonight on the wh1 night team at 11
