Ohio Man Saves Mom and Daughter From Sinking SUV

A backyard tree-cutting project turned into a life-saving rescue when 33-year-old Yianni Sarris saw an SUV crash through his parents' fence and plunge into a Mentor, Ohio pond.

Inside the sinking vehicle were Kim Wallace and her 8-year-old daughter Olivia, who had been driving home from picking up dinner when Kim suddenly lost consciousness behind the wheel. The SUV tore across four backyards before sliding straight into the water.

"When you hear a little girl screaming, you go right into reaction mode," Sarris said. "Just jump in."

He sprinted to the pond and reached Olivia first, guiding her to safety with help from a neighbor named Walter who had rushed over after hearing the crash. Then Sarris turned back toward the sinking SUV where Kim remained trapped and unconscious.

By the time he reached the vehicle, the water had risen above his chest and the front door was completely submerged. Sarris climbed in through the back seat, found Kim, unbuckled her seatbelt, and pulled her through to safety.

"I looked at her straight in the eyes and I just said, 'I'm going to try and I'm going to do my best,'" he recalled.

The entire rescue took only three and a half minutes, though Sarris said it felt much longer. After swimming Kim back to shore, he collapsed from exhaustion as she began regaining consciousness.

Sunny's Take

Weeks later, the two families reunited at a nearby park where tears flowed freely. "Our family is still here today because of you," Kim's husband Chris told Sarris, his voice breaking with emotion.

Kim is now recovering and working with doctors to determine what caused her to pass out. The two families, complete strangers before that frightening Friday night, now say they'll be friends forever.