VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – By being at the right place at the right time, one Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic (FRCMA) Sailor helped save the lives of victims of a fiery May 16 automobile crash. Seaman Loreina Campos was honored May 20 at the Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, theater for her actions with a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.

According to police and media reports, a Nissan Sentra was traveling westbound on Interstate 264 in Virginia Beach when it broke down. The Nissan was struck by a Chevy Silverado, which caused the car to spin out of control and hit an empty Hampton Roads Transit bus. The impact of the crash caused the Nissan to catch on fire.

A 31-year-old woman, a 28-year-old man and a 2-year-old girl were rescued from the burning car by two Good Samaritans, Campos and another witness who was traveling separately.  A 5-month-old girl was also in the car but could not be seen due to the flames and died in the fire, police said. The 2-year-old died in the hospital later that week.

Campos, who was four months pregnant at the time, was driving home from work when she witnessed the accident.  She said she immediately pulled her vehicle over and ran up to the car to help.

Campos said she attempted to open the driver’s door to pull the driver out, but the door would not open. She said she then ran over to the passenger door and with another person’s help, was able to get the door opened.

As they were pulling the passenger out of the car, Campos said she noticed a small toddler pinned behind the passenger seat.  The vehicle was engulfed in flames, and Campos reached into the burning vehicle to pull the toddler, who was on fire, to safety.  She carried the toddler, who was struggling to breath, to the side of the highway and remained with her until help arrived.

“I was really scared,” Campos said, recalling the events of the day.  “Everything was happening so quick, yet so slow at the same time. It was really strange.

“It was like I wasn't the one making my body do what it was doing. It was doing it on its own without thinking about it,” she said. “After I got the little girl, my main concern was making her feel comfortable so she didn't feel alone.”

Once the emergency crews arrived on scene, Campos said she was able to give an accurate account of the child’s injuries and was lauded by emergency medical service personnel for her heroic actions before rushing the little girl to the hospital.  The toddler ended up living for four more days before succumbing to her injuries.

For her actions that day, Capt. Joseph Rodriquez, FRCMA commanding officer, presented Campos a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal during a Safety Stand-down at the NAS Oceana theater, calling the Sailor who has been in the Navy less than three years a hero.

“What Seaman Campos did was an absolute selfless act,” Rodriguez said. “It is leadership defined and a shining example of bystander intervention at work.”

Campos recalled what was going through her mind at the scene of the accident.

“I remember that I just kept telling myself to keep doing something; everything was on overdrive,” Campos said.  “It took several days for me to process what had happened."