‘Died as a hero’: Woman saved 10-year-old grandson’s life as she lost hers in crash, family says
"She always told us to look at the angels
By Aaron Hegarty
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FREMONT, Nebraska (KETV) — Louise Field of Fremont liked to remind her family about angels.
“She always told us to look at the angels,” said Field’s daughter, Mina Maxwell. “That is how we will always remember her.”
The 60-year-old died after the pickup she was in spun off of West Dodge Road on Monday morning.
As it snowed, Louise, her husband Melvin Field, and the couple’s 10-year-old grandson, whom they adopted and have raised, were in the front of a 1996 Chevy K1500 pickup on their way to an appointment. Louise’s daughter, step-daughter, and niece shared Melvin’s telling of the crash with KETV.
Before the pickup spun out and smashed into the guardrail near Skyline Drive Bridge, Louise turned to cover the 10-year-old boy.
“My mom died as a hero,” Maxwell said.
Louise was “a protector of not just one of her grandbabies, but she always protected all her grandbabies,” said Maxwell. She said Louise loved her 34 grandchildren from her children and step-children equally.
Both Melvin, 60, and the 10-year-old boy were hospitalized but are expected to survive.
The 10-year-old boy’s “injury was just a bit above his heart,” said Louise’s step-daughter April Field. “If Louise wasn’t there, [her grandson] probably wouldn’t be here.”
Elizabeth Clayton, Louise’s niece, said Louise quickly “took over the mom role” after her own mother’s death.
“She always took care of everybody else first,” Clayton said.
The family says Louise’s impact will continue.
“She’s going to tire herself out being a guardian angel to all of us,” April said.
Maxwell says her mom and guardian angel’s message today is likely this: “Just suck it up. You’ll be okay…Everything happens for a reason. Let’s just work through it.”
“You should always hold your loved ones like it’s the last time,” Maxwell said. “Because you honestly don’t know if there ever will be a tomorrow.”
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