Driver thanking God for ‘angels’ who rescued him from fiery Preble County crash

EATON — The Eaton man pulled from the burning wreckage of his truck in Preble County late last week by a group of Good Samaritans that included two teenagers understandably is in pain and is facing a long recovery.

But the pain isn’t enough to block him from praising the rescuers he is calling “angels.”

>> Teens credited with saving man trapped in fiery Preble County crash

“I’m miserable,” Mike Worley told News Center 7′s John Bedell on Wednesday afternoon from his bed in Miami Valley Hospital’s burn unit.

He said he’s doing “as best as can be expected, I guess. Hurtin.’ "

Worley drove off state Route 122 early Friday, July 8, near the Eaton city limits. The truck came to rest in front of the home of brothers Breyden Boston and Preston Orr, against a tree and power pole.

Then, the vehicle caught fire. Worley was trapped.

Boston, Orr, their mother and a fourth person Eaton police identified as Larry Lewis of Lewisburg pulled Worley out of the ball of fire.

“I can see that one boy’s face kicking the windshield in … they wouldn’t give up and they got me out of there,” Worley said, recalling the horrifying moments.

Worley’s eldest brother, Robert A. Worley, said his brother was heading back home when the crash occurred.

“I don’t know where he’d been. He said he’d got off the road and couldn’t get back and hit that culvert right here,” the brother said. “And the car ended up on its side in the front yard.”

Boston and Orr continue to deflect the praise heaped on them by Worley’s family and police.

Wednesday represented the first time Worley could join in showering his rescuers with heartfelt accolades.

“I don’t know what I would say – I thank God that God had sent me two angels, I tell you that,” Worley said. “I can’t wait to talk to them. I mean, if it wasn’t for them guys, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

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