If you saw a car plowing through the snow along a highway divider, seeming directionless, how would you respond?
Would you call 911? Slow down and put on your emergency lights to warn other drivers that something is wrong?
Or would you park your car on the side of the road, race across three lanes of traffic, and then keep pace with the runaway vehicle, desperately trying to open the door until the car came to a stop?
Not many would risk their own life in that last way, but 25-year-old Adolfo Molina of Lawrence, Massachusetts, did, and he’s now being recognized for his selfless actions.
The 25-year-old is a father to two young children, is originally from the Dominican Republic, has lived in Massachusetts for the past five years, and works as an Uber driver.
As he drove along Highway 93 on Monday, he realized that a driver was in distress when her car kept driving along the inner guardrail, plowing through snow and making a scene.
Another driver was filming as Molina parked his car on the side of the road and then darted out into traffic to reach the vehicle at the divider. He then continued to run alongside it, grabbing at the door handle and trying to open the door.
Man runs across a highway to save woman who lost consciousness while driving. The man was identified as Adolfo Molina and the incident happened last week on interstate highway 93 in Massachusetts.
A TRUE HERO FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/hJaUzDdJ30— Jennifer Lantigua🗯 (@Jennife63019731) January 31, 2023
The video stopped before the car did, but Molina later said that another man joined him, and together the two did everything they could to stop the car, including using sticks and trying to push it into the guardrail.
According to Boston.com, the car eventually came to a stop against a divider. The woman, a 57-year-old from New Hampshire who had suffered a medical emergency, was taken to the hospital.
The hero’s wife, Maytee Molina, told Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra he’s always been brave, but she also told WBTS-TV that the rescue was still a shock to her, and she realized she could have been widowed if things had not played out exactly as they had.
As for Molina, he said he’d do the same thing again without hesitation.
“If it was presented to me 10,000 more times I would still do it,” he said, according to WBTS. “It was something like God protected me in that moment.”
Multiple organizations have recognized Molina’s heroics, including the Dominican consulate in Boston and the Lawrence mayor’s office.
“Mayor Brian A. DePeña had the pleasure to have Mr. Adolfo D. Molina Burgos in his office along with State Representatives, City Council Members, LPD Chief, Fire Dept. Chief and other Delegations to be recognized for his courageous gesture of having saved the life of a fellow citizen, who a few days ago had passed out while she was driving on the highway,” the Office of the Mayor – Lawrence, MA, shared on Facebook on Tuesday.
“Adolfo D. Molina Burgos, who visited the office of Mayor Brian A. DePeña along with his family, all Lawrence residents, said to Mayor DePeña that he’s proud of being able to save the life of the person who was driving, even having to risk his own life.
“Mr. Adolfo still does not know what’s the situation of the person who was driving, and he hopes to meet her and share a big hug with her. During this meeting, Mayor DePeña said that he is proud to know Adolfo and his entire family and for knowing that we have good people in the city of Lawrence.”
