Rene Villareal-Albe and his wife, Andrea, said they were driving on Loop 410 on March 5 when they noticed an SUV swerving out of control across lanes of traffic.
SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio couple is being recognized as heroes after helping stop a runaway SUV on Loop 410 when the driver behind the wheel suffered a medical emergency.
Rene Villareal-Albe and his wife, Andrea, said they were driving on Loop 410 on March 5 when they noticed an SUV swerving out of control across lanes of traffic.
Andrea began recording video as the couple realized the driver appeared to be unconscious. They later learned the man had suffered a heart attack.
“That’s when we realized, OK, he’s not going to stop and he could hurt more people, so we took action,” Villareal-Albe said.
The couple used their own vehicle to help stop the out-of-control SUV. A nurse who witnessed the incident also stopped and performed CPR on the driver until emergency crews arrived.
Authorities said the couple’s actions helped save the man’s life and potentially prevented further harm to others on the road.
On Friday morning, the San Antonio Police Department honored Villareal-Albe and his wife with a “Life Saving Award.”
Villareal-Albe said he has since been in contact with the man he helped rescue and hopes to meet him in person.
When asked if he considers himself a hero, Villareal-Albe said the recognition following the incident, which gained attention online, has been overwhelming.