I 'Felt I Was Going To Die': MN Woman, 22, Saved From Flooded Car

CENTERVILLE, MN — A 22-year-old Minnesota woman owes her life to two troopers who jumped into action to save her Wednesday night. Allyson Andert lost control of her truck on southbound Interstate 35 and County Road 8 in Wyoming, Minnesota around 10 p.m.

The car landed on its roof in two feet of standing water under the Highway 8 overpass. Two troopers from the Minnesota State Patrol, and a passerby, cut the driver’s seatbelt and removed her from the vehicle.

One trooper, Cory Johnson, began CPR on Andert and revived her. The trooper continued CPR as the driver went in and out of consciousness, spitting out water.

"It was a relief. It was definitely a relief that she was there," Johnson said at a press conference Thursday when asked about Andert coming out of unconsciousness.

"It was amazing that after one set of chest compressions you already started to see the life come back."

After regaining consciousness, Andert was transported to Regions Hospital in stable condition, according to authorities.

Andert released the following statement after the crash:

I remember everything leading up to the crash. I was driving home from my friend’s house. As I drove down the Interstate, I saw standing water on the highway. I saw the water on the road and slowed way down, but I ended up hydroplaning and losing control of the vehicle, hitting a barrier. I was then launched into the other lane of traffic, where I could not gain control of my truck, despite all my efforts. My vehicle then launched over the snow barrier and flipped in mid-air, landing on the roof and into a holding pond.

I felt all of this happening. I was panicking and reaching for the seat belt, trying to unbuckle, but I could not. I felt the water getting higher and higher in the pickup truck. It eventually ended up covering my face as I was on my back. I remember trying to free myself as I felt the water and snow covering my body and face. The entire time I was fighting for my life and kept telling myself, I need to keep fighting. The reason I kept fighting is because I didn’t want my mom to get the call I was dead, and I kept fighting for her.

I eventually lost consciousness.

First and foremost to the troopers, I want to say thank you for taking me out of the vehicle and thank you for not viewing me as a lost cause. I would also like to say thank you to the bystander who witnessed this and called 911. If not for that person, I would not be here today and able to thank everyone who was involved. I truly felt I was going to die, but thanks to everyone involved, my mom did not have to get that call that she lost her oldest daughter and first child. I would eventually like to meet the troopers and thank them in person.