ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — The village of Douglas thanked and honored a group of heroes Monday night.
More than a month ago, John Shashaguay had a medical episode where he lost control of his truck and crashed it into the Kalamazoo River.
"I feel blessed. I feel great with all the wonderful people," Shashaguay told FOX 17.
He knew that he wouldn't be standing here Monday if it weren't for Austin Waalkes, Amie Shananhan, Maxwell Klemm, Michael O'Brien, Jason Lott and Richard Beaudreault.
"The pickup was sinking, with the driver trapped inside and still recovering from the medical event and in a confused state. Our six rescuers then took action," Village of Douglas Police Chief Steve Kent said.
Shashaguay explains he doesn't remember much of what happened that day.
"I remember riding in what I called the panel truck on the way to the Holland hospital, saying to one of the paramedics, 'Boy, I'm wet now. What is going on?'" he added.
Shanahan was first on the scene, not knowing the person in the truck was her friend of 25 years.
"So when I realized I knew him, I was like, 'Okay, yep, and Mama Bear's out now,'" Shanahan said.
The village of Douglas presented Amie and five other heroes with the Good Samaritan Award.
"She worked to break out a window, got up onto the rear bumper of the truck, and is one of the two rescuers who pulled the driver through the rear window to safety as it sank," Kent explained.
These six people were thankful to see Shashaguay with them Monday.
"We're very, very blessed, because you take any one person out of the equation, and it would have been a completely different story," Shanahan said.
If you were to ask any of them, they would say anyone would do the same.
"All I could do was try and just hope that it made a difference," Shanahan said.
Shashaguay understands this could have gone completely differently.
"Thank you, everyone, for saving my life. That simple. Thank you," Shashaguay said.
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