NEW YORK – Ashley Diaz left the Staten Island hospital on Sunday, nearly two months after a driver under the influence of fentanyl forever altered the life course of a paramedic.
Diaz was getting into his car, parked right outside the house, when an out of control driver crashed into the off-duty EMT on September 15.
His brother Kevin is a firefighter and was one of the first to arrive on site. He said his entire right side was crushed and his right leg had to be amputated. It was a devastating development for the 29-year-old mother used to chasing her 4-year-old son.
“My sister is handling it as best she can. She’s a champion,” he said.
The woman who hit her was allegedly under the influence of fentanyl at the time. Police said he slipped into the passenger seat after the accident and told investigators that the driver escaped. But she was eventually arrested and charged.
Diaz was off duty at the time, but his training to save others began to work despite the deadly injuries and extreme pain. He was able to tell first responders that he needed a tourniquet and where to put it.
“She’s great. She told them what to do, what she needed,” her brother told News 4.
It was a rocky road to recovery that included 12 surgeries and multiple infections before she was finally released from the hospital on Sunday.
Diaz is still struggling with what comes next: he will no longer be able to work as an EMT.
“I was heartbroken. He loves being in the ambulance and is very proud of his work, “Kevin said.
