A Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper says he is lucky to be alive after a crash that nearly took his life less than three months ago.
Trooper Gary Sanders sustained critical injuries when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle while performing a traffic stop on Highway 183 on March 12, according to KFOR-TV.
The impact of the crash left Sanders with broken bones and major internal injuries. Following numerous surgeries, he is now on the road to recovery.
"Looking at it, I should have died," Sanders told the news station while recalling that fateful day. "When I walked back from the car after I made my contact with the driver and I was walking back, I seen the gentleman coming up the highway just like any other traffic. I never saw him about to strike me."
Sanders was trapped for nearly 40 minutes before being rushed to a local hospital where he was in a coma for several days.
Sanders still has a long journey ahead of him and is still relearning everyday tasks.
"I know I can get back there eventually. It’s just going to take time," he said. "I just got the will to survive. I'm not a quitter. Quit is not in my vocabulary."
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the crash.
