A Maine dad was seriously injured after being hit by a car while helping a teenage driver who slid off the road in the snow.
The 54-year-old man stopped on Interstate 95 in Veazie on the evening of Monday, March 23 after spotting an 18-year-old girl who crashed near mile marker 189, Maine State Police said in a news release.
He was identified as Scott Thibodeau by family, who told CBS affiliate WABI that he was heading home with his wife following a vacation when they stopped to help the teen.
State police said the man and teen were outside their cars when “they were struck by a passing vehicle operated by a 19-year-old female from Old Town, who lost control in the snowy conditions.”
Both the man and teen “were thrown down an embankment” as a result of the collision, according to state police.
“Preliminary information suggests the man may have attempted to shield the young driver at the time of the crash,” they added.
The man sustained serious injuries in the crash and was in critical condition as of Tuesday, March 24, authorities added. The two girls involved sustained minor injuries.
Scott was hospitalized with “severe, life-threatening injuries,” according to a statement shared by family via GoFundMe. They said he is currently intubated and sedated, having undergone multiple surgeries. He will need more medical attention.
Paige Higgins, Scott’s daughter, called her dad “one of the most generous people” and told WABI that he “would literally give his shirt off of his back to someone who needed it.”
“It goes to show how selfless of a man he is. He would do anything for anyone,” Higgins said.
The unidentified girl who Scott was helping at the time of the crash believes she would not have survived without him and compared him to Superman, according to WABI.
More than $48,000 has been raised through the GoFundMe as of midday Friday, March 27. Donations will go toward medical expenses, rehabilitation, and helping Scott’s family stay afloat following the crash.