A Hudson Valley man was honored for rescuing an unconscious woman who was trapped inside her burning overturned car.

Brian Geary, a Metro-North Railroad employee, received special recognition from the MTA for his life-saving efforts on the Taconic State Parkway on Thursday, April 19.

Geary, 30, of East Fishkill was driving on the Taconic at 2:30 a.m., heading to an MTA training course in White Plains, when he passed a car that was overturned and on fire on a rocky ledge on the side of the road.

“I’ve never been one to sit around and wait for someone else to help. Flames were burning through the engine of a rolled over car, with someone possibly trapped inside. There was no time for waiting around. I had to take action before it was too late,” Geary said in a press release.

Geary stopped his car and drove in the wrong direction to get to the crash site. He noticed an unconscious woman wedged diagonally in the front of the vehicle.

Two other drivers stopped to help, and the men attempted to rock the car upright. However, the group couldn't get the unconscious woman out of her car.

Geary ran back to his car in hopes of finding a fire extinguisher. Instead, he found a baseball bat. He ran back to the burning car and started swinging the bat at the windshield.

“I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get her out in time, and I gave it everything I had,” he said, “every ounce of my strength.”

After many strikes against the windshield, it finally started to crack. At that point, Geary was able to rip out the windshield and, with the help of others, lift the woman out of her burning car.

The vehicle was completely engulfed in flames about a minute after the woman was pulled from the car, officials say.

“Brian Geary’s actions speak volumes about the extraordinary character of our employees at Metro-North,” Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi said. “I’m proud to join the MTA Board in congratulating Mr. Geary for his valor and compassion.”

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