‘A miracle’: Woman reunites with Chesterfield first responders who saved her life

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- On August 27, 2024, Ashley Lawrence became trapped in a drilling auger while working on her farm in Amelia County. On Thursday, she reunited with the MedFlight crew who saved her life.

"My left leg was completely wrapped around it," Lawrence said of what happened that day. "My hands were stuck. I was upside down."

The auger was attached to a tractor. Lawrence said she only remembers standing near a tiller before the accident happened.

"I just started -- like, evaluating myself. Going, 'Okay, I'm not bleeding, which is shocking,'" Lawrence said. "'Left leg will be gone.' 'I'm missing a pinky.' 'It's on the ground.'"

After six months of recovery, Lawrence is back on her feet.

“It was a miracle, because of the entities that were involved that day -- between the fire and EMS, the sheriff's office, [and] MedFlight," said Chris Orr, a Chesterfield Fire and EMS paramedic who is part of the MedFlight Team.

MedFlight is a group of first responders that specializes in aerial searches and technical rescues. It's staffed by Chesterfield County Fire and EMS and Virginia State Police.

On the day of her accident, Orr and other MedFlight crew members took Lawrence to the hospital after Amelia EMT responders called them in.

“For her to stay awake all the way to the helicopter -- that's usually really rare, especially with the amount of blood and things that she had lost,” said Amelia EMT Savanna Banton.

Lawrence said she believes she stayed awake because of her daughter and "the drive not to leave her." She also said she could not be where she is today if it weren't for the crew who helped her.

“Donating blood is very important -- it helps people in the littlest ways," Lawrence said. "I may not be here if it wasn’t for the blood. [I want to say] thank you for the incredible job that they did and [for] helping me in a tragic time.”

Chesterfield Fire and EMS will hold a blood drive at the Eanes-Pittman Building, located at 6610 Public Safety Way in Chesterfield, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18. You can book your appointment here.

For more information, contact Lt. Gregory Jones at jonesg@chesterfield.gov or 804-743-2295.