105th and Pacific is an unassuming spot in Omaha — it’s best known as the location of the Cancer Survivor’s Park and a Runza restaurant. When sophomore Kera Lawrence was waiting at the intersection on Tuesday, Nov. 20 she had no idea that she was going to see a massive collision of noise and steel, nor that she would have to make a split-second decision that would change a family’s life.

Lawrence was on her way home from school when she witnessed the crash. Someone ran a red light at the intersection, resulting in a serious accident. Upon seeing the collision, Lawrence realized that she had to act.

“I told my mom to pull over,” Lawrence said. “Because we witnessed the accident, we had to be there to tell the police what happened.”

Amid the chaos after the crash, Lawrence noticed an additional detail that increased the situation’s urgency: an infant had been riding in one of the crashed vehicles.

“Right when the mom got out and rushed to the other side, I knew there was a baby in the car,” Lawrence said.

The car contained Bethany and Clifford Williams, as well as their infant daughter Zindee Lou. Mrs. Williams had been behind the wheel at the time of the collision. 

“The other driver made a sudden illegal left turn.  The accident was very scary for me and my family,” Williams wrote. “I had been driving for twelve years without incident and I honestly did not know what to expect … I remember rushing to get my daughter out of the car because we smelled smoke and things are somewhat fuzzy after that.”

Williams was experiencing concussive symptoms as a result of the crash. Additionally, her husband had suffered a facial fracture, and was in a massive amount of pain.

Lawrence was the first person to assist the family. She asked if they needed any help and kept talking to the parents to make sure they were responding. She also tended to Zindee Lou, who was sitting on the ground in a carseat next to Mrs. Williams, and asked permission to feed the baby her bottle. Lawrence’s actions helped guide the family through their confusing, stressful situation until EMS arrived.

“Her behavior left me speechless,” Williams wrote. “If I hadn’t been so out of touch with what was going on I would have shown her my gratitude better than I had.”

According to Williams, most people were hesitant to help. Many witnesses simply drove by the crash without checking on the injured passengers or their infant daughter. Lawrence agreed that the response was smaller than it should have been, and said she learned the importance of being the one to step up to assist someone in need. She is also CPR certified, and recommends that others learn what to do during critical situations because a little time can make a big difference.

“It took about ten to fifteen minutes for the police to arrive, and for the ambulance to get there. That’s plenty of time for somebody to stop breathing,” Lawrence said. “If you’re CPR certified and can help someone with that, then that’s saving someone’s life.”

Williams believes that Lawrence’s actions should serve as an example to others. She describes the response as an act of heroism — stepping up to do something kind when no one else would, and truly living up to the title of Westside Warrior.

“[Kera] wasn’t afraid and she realized that life is more important than her next destination,” Williams wrote. “Kera Lawrence is a WARRIOR and we are so incredibly thankful that she was there that day.”