WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — Six members of the Guerrette family are recovering after a golf cart crash Saturday in Wesley Chapel left parents Chris and Amy and their four daughters with serious injuries.
The family, who moved from Connecticut to Wesley Chapel a few years ago, says they are grateful for neighbors who stepped in to help during the crash. Good samaritans at the scene are credited with saving lives, and relatives are now calling the family’s recovery a “miracle.”
WATCH: 'It's truly a miracle,' relatives say of 6 family members recovering from Wesley Chapel golf cart crash
Tampa Bay 28 Annette Gutierrez has been covering this story since Sunday, and is now following through and learning how the Guerrette family is recovering. Friday, she met up with Amy’s mom, Kirsten Walker, outside St. Joseph’s Hospital, where the family members were taken after the crash.
"It's not the phone call that anyone ever wants to receive," Walker said.
Walker said her four granddaughters have been treated and released. The oldest, a 12-year-old, suffered a skull fracture and concussion but is now on the mend.
"Amazingly, again, God, over every single instance of this, none of the children have any other broken bones or anything," Kay Nass said.
Nass, Amy's sister, said bystanders helped save her sister and niece, who were pinned under the golf cart.
"They had to flip the cart and extract [Amy]. The roof and speakers were on her neck," Nass said.
Nass said she’s especially thankful for the first people on scene — bystanders with medical backgrounds who stepped in to help.
"The people that responded were the right people in the right order at the right time — a doctor, an emergency room doctor, a couple that helped move the vehicle off my daughter," Walker said.
Walker said Amy had stopped breathing and needed CPR.
"If those two people had not been there, she would have died," Walker said.
"They truly changed the entire outcome of this story," Nass said.
After nearly a week in the hospital, both parents are out of the ICU but remain at the hospital. Amy is recovering from a collapsed lung and multiple rib fractures. Chris is recovering from a serious concussion and a skull fracture.
"In a worst case scenario, it was the best thing that could happen all around, and that's just not by chance. It's truly a miracle," Walker said.
The family said it will be a long road to recovery, but they are focused on reuniting with their children soon.
"Let's get the family back together, healing at home," Nass said.
The family's main message is to learn CPR and take a class, because that is what ultimately saved their family members. A GoFundMe has been created, and you can find it here.
Share Your Story with Annette
Annette Gutierrez knows safety is important for every community. She’s focused on finding solutions and getting results for both crime and our roads. She takes pride in sharing stories from Sarasota and Manatee counties, so send Annette tips on how she can help.
.
Citrus County family says father died after medical episode while swimming with manatees
Tommy Green was visiting his family in Citrus County to celebrate his birthday. He suffered a heart attack while swimming with the manatees, according to his family.
