A mother from Missouri did what most moms would but should never have to do: she saved her daughter's life and sacrificed her own. Colleen Segbers, 33, died after she was struck by an SUV while walking toward a Walgreens store on Monday evening with her 10-year-old daughter, Gwen. When a vehicle suddenly sped up and made its way toward them, Colleen had just seconds to react. She selflessly thought of Gwen and not herself by pushing the child out of harm's way and saving her life. Sadly, she did not survive the horrific accident.
The driver of the SUV, who is described as a 58-year-old woman, was reportedly attempting to park in a handicap spot in the Walgreens parking lot. She says she thought she had put her vehicle in park but hadn't, and it started to roll. When she tried to stop it, she says she stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake. Trying to avoid a pillar, she reportedly swerved around it -- only to hit and instantly kill Colleen, who got pinned between the woman's vehicle and the pillar.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Gwen and for Colleen's funeral expenses. Nearly $20,000 has already been collected in less than 24 hours. On the page, Colleen's friend describes her as a woman with a "beautiful free spirit" and says "Colleen had less than a second to react but managed to move Gwen out of the way before she was struck and pinned between the vehicle and the building. Tragically, she did not survive and Gwen must continue this journey without her mother and best friend."
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Your heart just aches for this little girl. Obviously, Gwen and everyone else in her family would give anything to have Colleen back. But we can at least feel good about one thing: Gwen's role model in life will always serve as a true inspiration to her. There's no doubt about the intense love Colleen felt for Gwen, and her daughter should be proud of what she did for her.
What's the bravest thing you've ever heard of a parent doing to keep his or her child safe?
Image via GoFundMe