'That meant the world to me': Crash victim reunites with Good Samaritan

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- For more than two weeks, Nelson Rivera only knew her as "the blue-eyed lady." That was all Rivera said he remembered after a driver struck him earlier this month as he walked home from the grocery store.

On Friday, March 27, Rivera met the woman who stopped and stayed by his side until paramedics got to the scene. Turns out, she doesn't have blue eyes.

Following the March 11 crash, both Rivera and Sarah Foley contacted CBS 58.

Rivera wanted to tell his story of being struck as a pedestrian at a busy West Allis intersection. Foley asked if we knew anything about the victim who she'd comforted that night.

On Friday, the two met outside Rivera's home. Rivera realized it was Foley's distinctive light blue glasses frames he remembered from the night of the crash.

Rivera, 61, was walking west on W. National Ave. after 8:30 p.m. on March 11. West Allis police said as Rivera tried to cross S. 70th St., a driver turning to north on 70th St. hit him.

The collision left Rivera with stitches across his left knee. He's now using a manual wheelchair to get around.

Police said the driver, a 22-year-old West Allis man, stayed at the scene. Police added he showed no signs of being impaired and was ticketed for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

"As I was going to place my right foot onto the sidewalk," Rivera said Friday. "Something came and took me from there."

After that, Rivera said his next memory was a woman comforting him.

"Her blue eyes," he said before laughing. "They're not blue anymore."

Foley said she noticed Rivera's groceries were scattered over the street after the crash. So, she raised money over the last two weeks.

When she met Rivera on Friday, she handed him a $300 Pick 'n Save gift cart. She also vowed to get Rivera a new wagon to replace the one he'd been using to haul groceries down National Ave. to his home on S. 84th St.

Rivera became emotional when considering what Foley's compassion meant to him. He said he had been homeless as recently as last fall.

"I remember that somebody was there for me," he said before getting choked up. "I just remember that I felt safe."

Foley said there's no way she would have left Rivera's side. When she pulled up to ask if he was OK, he asked for her to help.

"Nelson reached up and grabbed a hold of my hand and said, 'Don't leave me, don't leave me,'" Foley said. "And I said, 'OK.'"

Rivera said he was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Milwaukee as a child in 1974. He said he doesn't have much of a support system, relying on a personal care worker.

Rivera explained that was why he was overcome by emotion when seeing Foley again.

"That meant the world to me. I don't have people like that in my life," he said. "My mom passed away about 10 years ago, and other than my mom being there- you know how mothers are; they never leave you. That's what she reminded me of."

Foley also became emotional during the interview, sharing she's often referred to as the mom-type figure in her friend group. 

She said she grew up in the Northwoods community of Ladysmith before moving to Milwaukee as a young adult.

Now, two people born more than 2,000 miles apart are forever connected by a West Allis intersection.

Before leaving, Foley got Rivera's phone number. She said she'd follow up to deliver his new wagon.

"People come together in such weird ways. That's the best way I can describe it," Foley said. "Just reach out to your community and be part of your community."