Kinston man gets to meet stranger who rescued him from vehicle crash

KINSTON, Lenoir County — Marshall Brown and Galen Hawkins met each other for the first time on Wednesday. Well, sort of.

The last time they met was two years ago in what some would say is fate. Brown was involved in a vehicle accident where the vehicle he was driving flipped. Without hesitation, Hawkins rushed to help him.

"Well I was driving my car and come to McLewean (Street) and a guy ran a red light and hit me in the side," Brown said.

Brown said his car flipped and hit a light pole near Big Blue in Kinston. It just so happened Hawkins was nearby to help within seconds.

"i got to help him, I gotta do something, I just can't sit here and do nothing, I gotta do something," Hawkins said.

Donna Hardy was driving the then 18-year-old Hawkins to the Gate Community Center when all the sudden ...

"He just ran as hard he could, he didn't think about it for a second," Hardy said. "I think we left the car running and he went over there, there was gas pouring out and he was trying to get the car open."

Hawkins said he sprang into action, helping save Brown's life.

"Try to get that person out so I hit the window as hard as I can until it busts so I could get that person out," Hawkins said.

Brown was rushed to the hospital and sometime, he had a stroke. He's now in recovering health with the help of Mary Leinonen, a physical therapist. Leninonen is also a volunteer at the Gate Community Center. That's where Hawkins is very involved. Hearing the story from Brown and Hawkins, Leinonen made the connection.

"There are great kids and young men in Kinston, North Carolina who are doing wonderful things and Galen is one of them," Hardy said.