“BLESSED TO BE ALIVE”

Elyria – One day after crashing his car into a guardrail on Ford Road, 18 year old Steven Morales says that he and his 17 year old passenger, Roberto Mendoza, are “blessed to be alive.”

Morales was driving his 2005 Chevy Equinox along Ford Road in Elyria when he lost control of the car and went off the right side of the road. That is when the car struck a guardrail dead center – sending the heavy metal rail up over the hood and onto the roof.

The photos show that the rail crashed through the windshield right between Morales and Mendoza – a couple inches in either direction and Morales says that they could have been an Obituary today.

After striking the guardrail a small fire erupted in the engine compartment – Elyria Firefighters quickly extinguished that fire when they arrived.

Morales said he and Mendoza were both belted in at the time of the crash and says he feels that helped save their lives.

Morales’s mother said she cried after seeing the crumpled car saying that she prays for the parents who lost their children last week in Grafton – “After yesterday – that has to be the worst feeling in the world.”

The investigation into the crash is ongoing but Morales says that he was doing the posted speed limit of 35mph at the time of the crash.

PHOTO GALLERY – A MUST SEE