A young nursing student survived a nearly fatal impalement after a large pole flew into her vehicle while she was driving on Interstate 10 near San Bernardino, California, in what emergency responders are calling an extraordinary case of survival.
Janina Akporavbare, a resident of Redlands, recalls the moment she saw the massive pole hurtling toward her car during rush-hour traffic on Aug. 25. The object, which appeared unexpectedly on the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway near the Tippecanoe exit, struck her car and impaled her in the stomach as it slid under her vehicle.
“I just remember seeing this huge pole coming at my car and I couldn’t swerve,” Akporavbare told CBS Los Angeles in a recent interview. “I woke up and I could feel something dripping on me… it was my blood.”
A Fight for Survival
Despite being critically injured and with her younger brother in the back seat, Akporavbare forced her car off the freeway while the pole remained lodged in her body — even as other vehicles ran over the protruding object. (CBS News) She immediately called 911, and first responders arrived swiftly.
According to the Loma Linda Firefighters Association, Akporavbare reached the hospital in just 10 minutes — a crucial factor in her survival — despite doctors initially giving her only a 1% chance of surviving.
Firefighters used specialized tools to cut the pole while it was still inside her, and she was transported by ambulance to Loma Linda University Medical Center. The prolonged ordeal resulted in multiple injuries; she underwent three surgeries, during which portions of her colon, liver, and kidney were damaged and required treatment.
Long Road to Recovery
Akporavbare’s recovery has been arduous. She spent nearly two months in the hospital and, although grateful to be alive and walking, continues to face challenges — including fear of driving again, particularly on the freeway where the incident occurred.
“I feel terrified… I don’t really drive that much,” she said, explaining that the psychological impact of the crash has made it difficult to return to normal routines.
The nursing student, who lost a semester of school and work due to her injuries, now hopes to find out who left the pole on the freeway so she can seek answers and closure with the help of her attorney.
A New Perspective and a Future in Care
Despite the trauma, Akporavbare says the experience has strengthened her resolve to help others. “It makes me want to be a nurse even more because I want to help people, like the nurses at Loma Linda helped me,” she said.
While her car was totaled and the cause of the pole’s presence on the freeway remains under investigation, Akporavbare’s remarkable survival — described by firefighters as occurring “against overwhelming odds” — has inspired many who have followed her story.
Her case is a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers on roadways, even as authorities work to better understand how such hazards can be prevented in the future.
