Ali Abu Khazneh, MPP Lisa Gretzky and   Nico Silvio Verrelli, September 12, 2025. (Photo by Maureen Revait)  Ali Abu Khazneh, MPP Lisa Gretzky and Nico Silvio Verrelli, September 12, 2025. (Photo by Maureen Revait)
Windsor

Bystanders honoured for helping family in fiery crash

Windsor-West MPP Lisa Gretzky honoured two citizens for their acts of bravery when assisting a family in a terrible car accident.

Last weekend, multiple bystanders stopped to help a family of five escape from an SUV involved in a fiery crash.

Nico Silvio Verrelli and Ali Abu Khazneh helped the driver who was trapped in the vehicle.

"The situation was pretty scary, but it's an honour to be where I was that day to be able to save those people, mostly Shane, to pull him out of the car," said Khazneh. "All his family afterwards told me I gave him a second chance at life. Hearing what he went through at the hospital breaks my heart, but also makes me feel good that I was able to do that and able to save him."

Both gentlemen said they immediately wanted to help when they witnessed the crash.

"I didn't think, there was somebody in need of help, and I just went and did it. There was no thought, there was no reflection, just taking action," said Verrelli.

Gretzky presented the two gentlemen with a plaque.

"The average citizen is not trained to rescue someone from a car accident or from a burning vehicle, and I thought it was really important to honour these two gentlemen behind me because they put that fear and unknown behind in order to save lives," said Gretzky.

The driver of the SUV remains in hospital in critical but stable condition.

The other driver involved in the crash, a 34-year-old, is facing charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and leaving the scene of an accident.

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