QUINCY, Mass. — Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria recognized a group of Quincy police officers Wednesday for their heroic rescue that saved his niece’s life.
Jackie Massua was hit and pinned underneath a car in the parking lot of the Stop and Shop on Southern Artery Christmas Eve.
>>Quincy PD help free woman trapped beneath car after 2 people hit in parking lot
Officers Kenneth Stanley and Asher Hughes witnessed part of the crash and radioed for help. Other officers arrived at the scene and Officer John Leuchte made the decision to lift the car off Massua.
A group of eight officers lifted the car while Officer Krestina Habib and a bystander, District Court Judge Robert Harnais, pulled Massua to safety. Quincy EMS then arrived and started treating her injuries before rushing her to a hospital.
Massua said she was conscious the entire time and remembers everything. She accompanied her uncle to Quincy Police Headquarters Wednesday to thank the officers for helping her.
“If you guys weren’t there that day, I might not be standing here today,” she told the officers. “Thank you for all you do, day in and day out, but especially for being there for me on December 24th.”
Massua said she remembers the officers comforting her and telling her she was going to be fine.
“I was nervous, the car was on me and I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Massua recalled. “I honestly didn’t know if I was going to make it and thankfully these officers were able to lift the car off and get me out.”
Massua suffered broken ribs, severe road rash and a burn on her foot. She said her recovery is going well.
DeMaria presented citations from the City of Everett to Officers Stanley, Hughes, Leuchte, Habib, Elizabeth Le, Michael Dougan, Matthew Benvie, Stephen Brown and Detective Charles Landry. He said he wanted to offer his sincerest appreciation and recognize them for their selflessness, bravery and unwavering courageousness.
Massua has seen firsthand the work police officers do. She’s a criminologist with the Boston Police Department and her grandfather is a retired Everett police officer.
“Honestly, you guys saved my life and I could never thank you enough for that,” Massua told the officers. “I appreciate you guys.”
“I want to say thank you very much,” DeMaria added. “On behalf of our family, we love you.”
The officers were appreciative of the recognition, but said they were just doing the job they were hired to do.
“It’s good to see that she’s recovered now, but it was just another day for us,” Dougan said.
Massua said she also wants to thank an unknown woman who prayed with her while she was pinned under the car.
Sergeant Karyn Barkas said the crash remains under investigation.
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