TAMPA, Fla. — A survivor of the deadly crash in Ybor City on November 8 is speaking publicly for the first time about his experience and recovery.
Nate Crosby told Tampa Bay 28 I-Team Reporter Kylie McGivern that he was sitting on the patio at Bradley's on 7th when a vehicle traveling 92 to 100 mph crashed into the establishment. Four people were killed. In the weeks since, Crosby has been working to physically recover, but there is an emotional toll and a feeling of survivor's grief that has no clear timeline.
"I immediately noticed that I was dealing with — what I could identify, just with my limited knowledge on it, was survivor's guilt. And I, going through what I'm going through, yes, but other people are worse off than me. I'm alive, I'm here. But it doesn't change that I still went through what I went through and it's a long process," Crosby said.
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A friend who survived the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Crosby said, provided support and advice.
"His first thing he said to me is — through these next couple of weeks, you're going to be asking, what if — woulda, coulda, shoulda, what if — what if I had done this, what if this had happened, and none of that matters. What happened in the past is in the past now," Crosby said. "Do what you can to help others heal, and through that process, you will be healed. And I broke down and cried. I said, that's true, but that's when I told him I was having survivor's grief. He goes it's normal to feel that way, but with time, it'll get better."
Doing what he can to help others is what prompted Crosby to come forward, he said, now released from the hospital and taking steps to move forward.
Still, thinking back to that night, Crosby said he can't help but recognize the significance of where he was sitting.
"Had I been sitting on the bench to my right, I wouldn't — I would have been on the other end of the front of the car. And who's to say... I can get lost in the 'what if', but it still makes you appreciate the small things," Crosby said.
Crosby had visited Bradley's many times over the years and was there that night to see a drag show.
"I can’t explain why I remember the time, but I parked at 12:32, walked into the bar, ran into some friends from Lakeland, and ordered a water and then went out on the patio to wait for the show to start," he said.
Fourteen minutes later, at 12:46 a.m., according to court documents, everything changed.
"I was talking with one of my friends," Crosby said. "I went from talking — to waking up from the ground."
Court records revealed the vehicle was traveling at 92 to 100 miles per hour as it approached the intersection with North 15th Street and East 7th Avenue before crashing into Bradley's.
Crosby couldn't have seen it coming.
"My back is completely to the road," Crosby said. "I had no pre-warning, no nothing."
When he came to, Crosby found himself surrounded by chaos.
"I seen a girl laying on the ground, and a guy laying on the ground. And then I hear my friend say, 'Nate, are you ok?' And my response immediately was, 'What happened?' Obviously I see a car in front of me, but I don't understand, I can't connect the dots. And when he asked me if I was ok, I went to get up and couldn't," Crosby said.
Crosby discovered he was bleeding from both arms and his head, with a large knot on the back of his skull.
"People were stepping over me, everyone's panicking and attacking, but they drug me out of that chaos," Crosby said of his friend. "I'm eternally grateful for that."
First responders put a neck brace on Crosby before strapping him to a board to bring him to a nearby ambulance and ultimately Tampa General Hospital.
While lying on the board in the trauma unit, Crosby told the I-Team, he heard devastating news being delivered to other families.
"I'm hearing the loved ones reaction to being told that unfortunately, they did not make it. They're not going to make it, there's nothing more they can do. Hearing that reaction while I'm laying on the board, knowing what I'm going through, just — all I could do is cry and I couldn't wipe my tears or anything," Crosby said.
Crosby emphasized the importance of seeking help for trauma.
"Important thing is, don't bottle it up, admit to yourself that you need help, and make sure you get it," Crosby said.
He has lined up a therapist to help navigate the emotional pain, while dealing with ongoing physical challenges. Crobsy described how every four hours, when his medication wore off, pain would wake him up. Simple tasks like removing shoes and socks or taking off a shirt has required assistance from friends and family, having suffered a broken rib, along with injuries on his arms and a concussion.
"I couldn't bend over to take my shoes and socks off. I couldn't fully take a shirt off on myself," Crosby said. “I'm not used to being that person. And that was on top of the mental, of things that normally I could do in hours, now, I've taken a week.”
After the crash came a list of to-dos that quickly became overwhelming.
"Reporting to my job what occurred, what that occurred and reporting the incident online, just took the wind out of me. Meaning that I couldn't even — all that focus and energy just made me exhausted. Coordinating with my doctor to, you know, have stitches removed, have to follow up appointments," Crosby said.
When asked what he would want to say to the driver, Crosby's response focused on accountability.
"I don't want to say anything to him, I just want to see remorse," Crosby told the I-Team. "It affects so many more people than just the people there. And I don't need you feeling guilty, but remorseful is the word I would like. Yeah, you know, you didn't make the right decisions, but remorseful of the actions you took that caused that. Not remorseful because you got caught."
The 22-year-old driver, Silas Sampson, has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving and fleeing the scene. He is currently in jail without bond until his trial.
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Kylie McGivern works tirelessly to get results for the people of Tampa Bay. Her reporting has exposed flaws in Florida’s corrections system and unemployment process. Reach out to Kylie and our I-Team if you need help holding state leaders accountable.
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