Juan Mendoza, 19, stopped on a rainy Texas highway to pull an elderly couple from their smoking vehicle after a collision. Video shows the Texas Roadhouse cook moving debris and leading the couple to safety. The O'Mattas later reunited with Mendoza at his workplace, where Acadian Ambulance offered him an EMT school scholarship and a conditional job. Weslaco's mayor also proclaimed a 'Juan Mendoza Day' to honor his actions.
Teen Cook Rushes Into Traffic to Rescue Elderly Couple, Earns EMT Scholarship and City Proclamation
Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez shakes Juan Mendoza's hand at the Texas Roadhouse where he works. / Credit: CBS News(CBS News)
Juan Mendoza, 19, was driving with his girlfriend on a rainy Wednesday afternoon in southern Texas when he spotted a car spin out and come to rest in the center of the highway. He stopped immediately and ran into traffic to help.
'My first thought was that they could have kids, and I have little brothers,' Mendoza said. 'That thought rushed into me and I said, I'm going to get them out.'
The vehicle belonged to Juan O'Matta, who turns 80 this month, and his wife, Adriana. The couple had been returning from a doctor's appointment when another car struck them, sending their vehicle into the middle of the road.
'Nobody stopped,' O'Matta said of Mendoza's actions. 'He was the only one who stopped.'
'He was there at the right moment that we needed him, so that's why I say he was my angel,' Adriana said.
Video of the crash shows Mendoza — a cook at a Texas Roadhouse near the U.S.-Mexico border — sprinting into traffic, moving debris aside and helping the O'Mattas out of their smoking car. Despite his decisive actions, the couple initially did not learn the rescuer's name.
Determined to thank him, the O'Mattas accepted help from CBS News contributor David Begnaud, who arranged an emotional reunion at the Texas Roadhouse where Mendoza works. The meeting was filled with tears, hugs and gratitude.
Also present was Justin Back, president of Acadian Ambulance Service, one of the largest privately owned ambulance companies in the United States. Back praised Mendoza's character and offered him a scholarship to EMT school plus a conditional job offer upon successful completion of training.
'We're always looking for people, good people, who want to help others,' Back said. 'But that takes a big heart. It also takes a lot of intelligence and a lot of courage... a rare combination.'
Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez surprised Mendoza with an official proclamation declaring a local 'Juan Mendoza Day' in recognition of his bravery and quick thinking.
Mendoza credited his actions to the values his parents instilled in him: humility and a willingness to help anyone in need. Local officials and community members celebrated the young man whose split-second decision likely saved two lives.
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