LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In the midst of Wednesday's shooting at UNLV, one student found herself in a particularly challenging situation.
Junior Natalie Matarazzo, who was in front of Beam Hall when the shooting started, shared her terrifying experience and how a compassionate stranger came to her rescue.
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"I was terrified. I wanted to freeze. I had no idea what was going on. I was frozen for quite some time in this spot," Matarazzo said.
Despite being near the epicenter of the chaos, Natalie faced an additional obstacle — she's paralyzed from the waist down due to a car accident in 2020.
"I can't run, I can't hide, and I cannot fight. So that was really scary because I didn't know what was going on," she said.
Realizing the need to evacuate, Matarazzo, with limited mobility, tried her best to move away from danger. That's when a stranger, a Good Samaritan, approached her with an offer of assistance.
"I turned around just to see what was going on behind me for a quick second. This girl came up, and she said, 'Do you want me to push you?' I said, 'Yes, please, I have no idea what is going on. I just need to get out of here as soon as possible,'" Matarazzo said.
The compassionate stranger pushed Natalie for about a mile, eventually dropping her off at her apartment building. In the chaos and gratitude, Matarazzo lost sight of her rescuer within the sea of people.
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Now, she's expressing her heartfelt gratitude, hoping that the anonymous helper might come forward.
"The fact that this random stranger decided she was going to help me one day — I don't have any other words to say other than it meant a lot," Matarazzo said.
If you have any information about the good Samaritan who assisted Natalie, please reach out to our reporter, Isabella Martin, at Isabella.martin@ktnv.com. Let's unite these two individuals and celebrate the compassion that shines even in the face of tragedy.
