Woman reunited with 'angel' who saved her from burning car

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Barbara Byington was driving on the Reagan Tollway when her car caught fire. A Good Samaritan stopped and rescued her from the burning car.

"I had an angel that was watching over me," Byington said. She was headed east on I-88 near 59 when smoke came from her hood. She pulled over, but didn't get out while she thought about whom to call for help.

"I was in shock and I think that's why I didn't get out of the car when I really should have been getting out of the car," she said.

Ahmed Elsayed, an engineer from Aurora, was on his way to an appointment with his 9-year-old son when he saw the smoke. He pulled over and ran to her window.

"I was just screaming for her to get out of the car, get out of the car. So when she did, I kind of grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards my car and we got in and moved further away," Elsayed said.

The car went up in flames.

Byington didn't know the name of her "angel" until the story aired on ABC7. Now two strangers have become fast friends for life.

"I feel that I'm alive today because of him. And I owe him a great deal. And I'm so glad Channel 7 found him for me," she said.

"I grew up watching my father stop. I stop and hopefully he stops," Elsayed said of his son. "And I think that will just make a better world."

Byington says she plans to have both families meet in the future for a southern barbeque where she will be cooking.