San Antonio – NOEMI ALANIZ KNOWS HOW CLOSE SHE CAME AND LOSING FOR MOTHER IS FOREVER.

“It made me cry,” Noemi recalled. “I felt helpless because I couldn’t help her.”

On Oct. 15, Noemi’s mother, Graciela, was boned at the intersection of East Theo Avenue and South Flores Street on the South Side.

The impact was devastating.

The photos show her car’s metal doors bent and twisted inwards like a tin can. The vehicle was totaled and Graciela’s injuries were serious – landing her in intensive care for three days.

“He had three broken ribs,” Noemi said. “He had bruises all over his abdomen, high blood pressure and seat belt injuries to his chest. He also had respiratory complications.”

Now Noemi returns to the scene of the accident to meet the couple who rushed to help her 72-year-old mother that day.

“God works in mysterious ways,” she smiled. “I truly believe we were blessed when he sent those angels to my mother.”

That brings us to our Cash for Kindness surprise.

“Ryan Wolf from Fox SA — you have a shocked look on your face,” Ryan said as he greeted the couple. “How do you feel now, seeing me get out of the car?”

“I’m in shock!” they replied.

“I’m here because this family obviously thinks the world of you,” Ryan continued, “but I want them to tell you what you mean to them. Naomi?”

Noemi, holding back tears, explained: “This is an emotional moment. We lost our father in June, our aunt in August, and now our brother is sick in the hospital. There were so many and we almost lost our mother. If it hadn’t been for your quick action that day, calling the ambulance and staying with her, I might have lost her too.”

Good Samaritans Francisco and Angela Gonzalez stood by their 10-year-old son Frank. They had rushed to reunite with Graciela, who now needs a walker to get around.

“Did you ever think you’d see her again?” Ryan asked Angela.

“I didn’t know,” she replied. “Anything can happen, and with someone older, it’s different – they’re vulnerable, like a child. I kept wondering how she was doing.”

Francisco remembered the intensity of the moment. “It was this big crash. I went into shock, but all I wanted was to get her out of the car. I hugged her and told her we’ll get through this.”

Angela added: “People were honking, trying to get past, but we were focused on helping her. I told him it would be okay. She touched my necklace – the Virgin of Guadalupe – and I told her she would take care of it. We were all going to pass together.”

Noemi and her mother turned to Cash for Kindness to thank the people they call their “guardian angels.”

“On behalf of Fox SA and our sponsor, Air of the Veteranwe want to reward you,” Ryan said, presenting the surprise. “For what you did that day, would you both hold out your hands?”

Ryan counted the bills: “$100, $200, $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, $900…in my hand is your $1,000 reward.”

Francisco, moved to tears, accepted the gift. “I’m not crying because of that, but because recently I got some bad news. I might have cancer. That means something big. Maybe God sees what I’m doing.”

A glimmer of hope, for everyone – that’s Cash for Kindness.

Click here to nominate someone you know for the $1,000 Cash for Kindness Award

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