Young woman recovering after wrong-way crash on 495

BARNSTABLE, Mass. — A young woman had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and holiday weekend after surviving a wrong-way crash on 495 early Thanksgiving morning.

"I'm just like so happy that I didn't- you know," said Tayler McBarron, 21.

McBarron was in a white SUV headed from college in Fitchburg to home in Barnstable at 2 a.m. Thursday after a waitressing shift. While on 495, she was hit head-on by 22-year-old James Keating of Norton, who was driving the wrong way, said police. Keating died on scene.

"I was still in the fast lane after the crash because that's where I ended up and cars were still going by me and not stopping and I didn't know if anyone else had known so I called 911," she said. 
              
At the hospital, McBarron learned she suffered a severely broken ankle and fractured pelvis in addition to cuts and bruises.

As her friends woke up Thanksgiving morning, they were shocked to learn that it was McBarron's SUV that they had seen in the news.

"It was definitely very shocking," said McBarron's best friend Emma McMahon.

McMahon set up a GoFundMe account to help cover McBarron's bills since she won't be able to work for several months.

"I can't put your bones back together I can't help you feel better physically, but hopefully this will help her feel better mentally and emotionally," said McMahon.

McBarron said that has allowed her to focus solely on her recovery.

"After I can walk again I'll be happy I don't even need anything after that," she said.

Earlier this year, five people were killed on 495 as the result of a wrong-way driver. 

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Cox Media Group