Drive-Thru Worker Spots An Unsettling Scene Outside The Window

Sonja Nixon Frazier (middle) had been working at the Clarksville Taco Bell in Tennessee for 14 years. It was a job that she took very seriously, giving each and every customer equal respect and care. She never thought one sudden schedule shift would change the life of a guest.

Sonja built great relationships with everyone around her, including the Clarksville Taco Bell General Manager Marquita Johnson. Marquita recognized Sonja’s great work ethic and promoted her to a manager position. Sonja was typically scheduled to cover the night shift, but her boss needed to change things around in August of 2020.

See, Marquita realized that she was going to need some help that next morning, so she asked Sonja to move her shift up by a few hours — the night owl would become an early morning owl. This was the fateful move.

Sonja made the switch, and the employees working under her would be grateful to have her around when a frightening change of pace shook up the morning, only an hour after Sonja arrived. There was some commotion outside.

One employee taking drive-through orders found it strange when the traffic came to a sudden halt. After checking the live camera footage, they came across a concerning sight.

An SUV had rolled into the drive-through at an angle, blocking traffic. There was no damage done, but everyone who was there that was morning was scared for the driver of that car. He wasn’t moving at all.

Sonja rushed out of the building, following one of her coworkers to see what was going on with the driver. When they saw him passed out over his steering wheel, they immediately acted to save the man’s life.

One customer also leaped into action and approached the imperiled driver. Sonja and her coworker pulled the passed-out man from his car and laid him on the pavement. He was still unresponsive. Sonja, who formerly worked in the medical industry, feared the worst.

Sonja’s coworker called 911 right away, while all the customers watched with concern for the man’s life. It would take some time before paramedics could arrive to help him. Sonja recognized that the driver was turning blue as he lay unconscious. The 911 Operator asked if anyone knew CPR.

Normally, there would be no risk to perform CPR, and anyone certified wouldn’t hesitate. Unfortunately, this was all happening while the deadly virus of COVID-19 was spreading throughout the country. Touching a stranger was a big gamble.

Sonja hesitated. Because of a preexisting condition, she was even more at risk than the other people in the drive-through. She had sarcoidosis, a rare lung disease, making her more vulnerable to the virus. That didn’t stop her from going to work, and she decided it would not stop her from saving this stranger’s life.

Everyone at the Clarksville Taco Bell was following guidelines set by the CDC, including Sonja. But Sonja, in a swift move, chose to remove her mask and step right into this life-or-death situation.

Sonja leaned in and performed CPR on the unconscious driver. It was thanks to her 6 years of experience as a healthcare worker, which included training in CPR, that gave everyone in the Taco Bell hope. They awaited some sign of life.

Then the driver gasped! Once he was talking, Sonja asked her coworker to grab the man’s license so she could know his name and speak to him on a more personal level. In between mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, she let him know everything would be all right. Then, the paramedics finally arrived.

It was the longest 11 minutes of Sonja’s life. After all was said and done, she needed a minute to herself. Off to the side of the Taco Bell, she cried and smoked a cigarette. She would have more comfort when she returned home to her beautiful family.

Sonja is a mother of two and set a great example for her children. In spite of the risks, she told reporters, “This is what I was supposed to do.” She doesn’t consider herself a hero.

In an interview with CNN, Sonja expressed her ideals. “It doesn’t matter who he was or what skin color he had. I knew I was there to save his life,” she tells the reporter. Her boss, Marquita Johnson, was emotional about the whole ordeal, but not surprised in the slightest.

Marquita also shared her thoughts and gratitude: “[Sonja] is a genuine person always willing to help anyone and everyone whenever she can…She is my hero. I’m honored to be her boss.” More people showed their gratitude in a different way.

Word has spread about Sonja’s heroism, and also how it is not the first time she’s saved a life. To reward Sonja for her courageous acts, a GoFundMe page has been created in her honor, aiming to raise $10,000 for Sonja. Social media also helped.

Sonja could never forget the face of the man she saved. Since she knew his name from his driver’s license, she took to Facebook to find him and send him a message. She eagerly awaited to know how he was doing.

The man replied to Sonja with immense gratitude and appreciation. He wanted to repay Sonja for the incredible deed she had done for him, but Sonja was satisfied just knowing that he was okay.

When the pandemic is over, the driver and Sonja plan to meet up. With how much they mean to each other, this could be the start of a lifetime friendship — something we need more of in difficult times. Luckily, Sonja wasn’t the only person willing to put their life on the line for a stranger.