Colorado man recovering after friend says he suffered serious injuries while saving pedestrian in crash
A Colorado man is facing a difficult recovery after a friend says he put his life on the line to save a pedestrian from being run over.
Andrew Gress can't say enough good things about his friend and co-worker Juan Oropeza.
"Juan is a soldier. He's a reservist. He's a good employee. He's a good friend," said Gress.
It's because of those qualities that he isn't surprised Oropeza ended up in the hospital after possibly saving someone's life.
"Doesn't surprise me at all that he would do something like that," said Gress. "Juan's a hero, a textbook superhero."
The Denver Police Department said that on Feb. 14, Oropeza was near East Colfax Avenue and North Pearl Street in Denver when he saw someone in danger.
"Somebody else was going into traffic, and he saved them," said Gress. "I don't know if it was a push or pull, but he saved a person who's half his size from getting hit by a vehicle, and he took the shot himself."
Denver police initially tweeted out that they were investigating a hit-and-run between a vehicle and two pedestrians at the intersection. They said the vehicle left the scene, and both people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, but later clarified that the driver actually stayed at the scene.
Gress says one of those people was Oropeza, who he says took the brunt of the collision.
"He has pending surgeries. I talk to him every day; he's in a lot of pain. He's not doing well. He's not Juan anymore. He's hurt Juan, unfortunately," said Gress.
To honor the sacrifice he made, Gress is raising money for Oropeza through an online fundraiser.
"I don't want Juan to ever have to not just pay a bill, but I don't want him to have to look at a bill. I want him to be able to bring me whatever he gets from any hospital, or from the ambulance ride, or from the overnight emergency room visit, and I want to be able to take care of this for him," said Gress.
Gress says Oropeza is stubborn and doesn't even want the money Gress is raising, but he says he won't let his friend refuse the community's generosity.
