Motorcycle crash victim reunites with heroes who saved his life

Bernardo Barco survived an impossible accident in December 2018. Four months later, he finally met the strangers who helped save his life on the side of I-5.

By Olivia Sullivan • April 24, 2019 4:10 pm

Medical professionals — including the ones who helped save his life on the side of Interstate 5 — did not think Bernardo Barco would survive after a motorcycle crash left him without his right arm and left leg and several injuries to his stomach and face on Dec. 21, 2018.

Four months later, Barco met his heroes as South King Fire and Rescue honored them on April 18 at Station 62.

This includes Michael White, a registered nurse who works at St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor; his fiancée, Kaitlyn Benson, an EMT and emergency room tech at the same hospital; White’s parents, Larry and Teri; as well as Anthony Guynes, an emergency physician at Northwest Hospital. The White’s and Benson were traveling on I-5 when Benson saw Barco’s body “flying through the air.”

They, along with Guynes who happened to be driving by just after Barco’s crash, stopped to perform life-saving measures while waiting for help to arrive.

Bernardo Barco stood to speak to a large crowd gathered at South King Fire and Rescue Station 62 to honor the people who saved his life after a motorcycle accident left him without his right arm and left leg. Olivia Sullivan/staff photo