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‘Stop to help, always;’ Nurse saves Va. teen struck crossing road

Posted at 6:51 PM, Apr 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-28 18:51:11-04

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - A 13-year-old girl hit by a truck while crossing South Military Highway on Wednesday is still in the hospital recovering, reports WTKR.

However, her family says it could have been even worse.

"I was freaking out, I broke down," says Emma Wallace, the sister of the 13-year-old girl, Madalynn.

Wallace says her sister made the trip from their motel to various businesses like the Dollar General several times a week for the past year.

They never worried about her making the trip until Wednesday.

Chesapeake Police say the accident happened around 9:25 a.m. at South Military Highway and Baugher Avenue.

Maddalyn

Madalynn hit the side of the truck, attempting to cross the roadway. Police say the driver was not charged.

Seconds after the incident, a Licensed Practical Nurse, Alice Labonte, just happened to be driving down the road.

"I just immediately pulled up the side and went out of my car to assist with the care for her," she says. "It was very bad, I didn't know if she would make it or not."

Labonte stayed with Madalynn until first responders arrived, putting pressure on her wounds and continuously asking her questions. She also instructed others who stopped to help, to not move her from where she was.

Alice Labonte urged people to always stop and help.

"She didn't know what happened that was one question she kept asking me, 'what happened?'" she says. "She would start to go out and I would bring her back."

Wallace says she's so grateful.

"Hearing everything she did to help my sister makes me extremely happy," she says. "I think she did save her life."

Madalynn is currently at CHKD, but out of the Intensive Care Unit.

Wallace says she fractured her hairline, eye socket, and pelvis, bruised her lungs, and has two broken ribs. On Friday Madalynn was out of bed and walking with a physical therapist.

She hopes Madalynn and her guardian angel can eventually meet, and Labonte says she hopes for that too.

"If you see someone in need always stop to help them, always," says Labonte. "You will make a difference."