Palm Harbor Firefighter Released From Hospital 6 Days After Being Critically Injured

PALM HARBOR, FL — With cuts on her face and her right leg in a cast, Palm Harbor Fire Rescue Lt. Ashley White left Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Tuesday — just six days after being critically injured while tending to victims at a crash scene.

As her husband, Clearwater Fire & Rescue Lt. Kevin White, ushered her out of the front doors of the hospital in a wheelchair, White was greeted with cheers and applause from dozens of firefighters and paramedics representing multiple agencies throughout Pinellas County who were waiting outside.

"It’s hard not to get choked up," Palm Harbor Rescue Fire Chief Scott Sanford said. "Wednesday morning (Sept. 22, the day of the crash), if you had told me this would be the outcome of this, I would have never slightly imagined this could happen like this."

For the 38-year-old mother, leaving the hospital is just the first step in what's expected to be a long road to recovery.

"The recovery is going to be measured in months and years, not days and weeks," Sanford said.

However, he said he's amazed at her upbeat attitude and unflagging spirit, despite facing more surgeries and months of rehabilitation.

“They told her she needed to walk 50 feet before they would release her from the hospital. So she made that her priority and she walked 50 feet with a walker three or four days after being battered by a 7,000-pound vehicle," Sanford said. "It’s a miracle. I don’t have any other justification or explanation other than that. She has come through and the outpouring from the community, the prayers, it’s just incredible."

White and fellow firefighters and paramedics were simply doing what they're trained to do when they responded to the scene of a crash at U.S. 19 and Innisbrook Drive at 3:19 a.m. Sept. 22.

Following protocols, the firefighters diverted traffic and secured the crash scene while White rushed to the aid of the accident victims.

White was standing near the two crashed cars, tending to the victims, when a GMC Denali pickup truck traveling at a high speed broke through the crash scene and struck the right sides of two fire engines. The truck then ricocheted and struck White before rotating and striking a fire hydrant.

Her fellow firefighters rendered life-saving aid before rushing her to the hospital where she was placed in the intensive care unit in critical condition. That same day, she underwent a six-hour surgery on her shattered leg. Doctors performed a second two-hour surgery Thursday on her left arm.

The driver of the pickup truck was also rushed to the hospital where he died.

Since the accident, Sanford said Palm Harbor Fire Rescue has been bombarded with flowers and get-well wishes for White.

Additionally, a GoFundMe page was set up to help pay White's expenses and provide a cushion while she is off work and undergoing physical therapy. To date, $78,566 has been donated to the fund.

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See related stories:

• Fund Set Up For Palm Harbor Fire Lieutenant Struck By Truck
• Firefighter Critical After Being Struck By Pickup At Crash Scene