LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — A Blue Springs woman is finally ready to let someone else cut the grass. She was injured Thursday when she was on her riding lawnmower in her backyard.
The riding lawnmower fell on top of her, piercing her ankle. Thanks to the kindness of strangers, 70-year-old Judy Scott is recovering in the hospital and she and her family are thanking her rescuers.
Kristie Hardin, Judy's daughter said her mother has been cutting the grass on the riding lawnmower for years. This is the first time she's been hurt.
"She was backing up and realized too late, that she went too far," said Hardin. "My mom hit these rocks and the lawnmower fell on top of her."
A long metal lever pierced her ankle and she started screaming. One neighbor heard the cries for help and called 911. Another neighbor raced into the backyard, saw what had happened, realized she couldn't lift the lawnmower and ran to the front yard to get help. She spotted a Gravatt Waste Solutions truck. Justin Hamilton and Craig Lingholm had just finished a pick-up at a nearby house.
"We saw a woman yelling, 'Help, help' and waving her arms so we jumped out of the truck and followed her," said Lingholm.
"At first she took us to the wrong backyard," said Hamilton.
The two followed the woman to another backyard where Judy Scott was trapped under the lawnmower. They lifted the lawnmower and stayed with Judy until police and paramedics arrived. Now Judy is recovering in the hospital after surgery. Relatives hope she'll be released on Saturday and come home.
"We are eternally grateful that they stopped and came to help a total stranger," said Hardin.
Lingholm and Hamilton both said they're just glad they could help.
