A nurse from Texas has described herself as 'unbelievably blessed' after she was involved in a pile-up with more than 100 cars before heading into work for a half-shift, without even getting checked out by medical staff.
Rebecca Benson was involved in the crash - which is thought to have been caused by unusually icy weather - on Interstate 35W near Fort Worth on Thursday morning.
The crash involved at least 133 cars and claimed the lives of six people.
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Speaking after her ordeal, Benson told ABC13: "As soon as I hit that bridge, [there was] black ice. My car started to spin out a little bit, but nothing crazy, and so I was adjusted.
"While I was coming around the corner, I see the cars in front of me. I'm trying to not spin out and to figure out if I can stop. I mean, my foot was as close to going through the floorboard as it possibly could be. And I realised that there's no stopping."
She continued: "So, there was a Coca-Cola semi and a car hauler semi that had kind of made almost like a triangle. So, I wanted the car there and prayed to God that I would be okay and that's when I hit them."
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The nurse explained how she was trying to remain still, but found herself shaking every time a new car joined the pile-up.
"I looked in my rear view mirror and can see all of these cars heading towards me. So, I think that was the scariest part, knowing that I survived this part but now the chances of me getting completely smashed by all the cars and semis behind me," she added.
Eventually, someone came to find her and she clambered out of the car.
Then, her mind turned to work. She called a co-worker and asked him to get her, as he was nearby.
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Once she met him, she proceeded to work for half a shift, until her husband insisted that she get checked out.
She explained: "My husband was like, 'We need to get to the hospital.'
"So, I worked until things kind of cleared up, and then got a ride and came to the hospital to get checked out.
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"I have neck pain, shoulder pain, and my left elbow is bruised to the high heavens and, you know, typical aches and pains that you would have. But I am unbelievably blessed."
As well as the six people who died, 65 others were injured in the crash, which stretched for 1.5 miles down the freeway.
An investigation has now been launched into the cause of the incident, with local politicians questioning whether the roads were correctly treated ahead of the forecast icy weather.
Featured Image Credit: WFAA