Australian victim of ‘horrific’ New York City taxi crash speaks out about freak Christmas Day accident
An Australian woman has recounted the “horrific” moment she and her son were struck by an out-of-control taxi in New York City on Christmas Day.
Perth resident Rebecca Stewart and her nine-year-old son Tyler were on their way to dinner on Wednesday when they were struck by the vehicle, which had mounted a kerb outside a Macy’s department store.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Australian mother and son hit by taxi during New York holiday
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“I just felt this massive impact behind me and then the next thing I knew I was facedown on the pavement,” she said.
“I was holding my son’s hand, I could just hear him screaming.
“I could hear my husband screaming, just asking everyone to get the car off us. It was pretty horrific.”
Bystanders were quick to jump in, with video showing multiple people dragging the taxi off the injured mother and son.
One witness described seeing Tyler’s leg underneath a tire which was “spinning and smoking”.
“A gentleman got the car off and then we ripped the fender off, kind of lifted it back,” one man said.
“We were able to pull the boy out.”
Stewart has been discharged from hospital however her son remains with serious leg injuries.
Tyler suffered severe burns as well as a degloving injury from when the tyre was left spinning on top of his leg.
He has already had two surgeries and is expected to need more including a skin graft.
Stewart said she was “very grateful” to be alive.
“I don’t know how we survived to be honest,” she said.
Four other people were struck by the taxi, including the driver who is believed to have suffered a medical episode.
An NYPD spokesperson would not elaborate on the type of medical episode the 58-year-old man experienced but said no criminality was suspected at this stage.
He was taken to a hospital in stable condition for further evaluation.
Originally published on 7NEWS
