LOYALSOCK TOWNSHIP --- A family in Lycoming County may have a whole new outlook on life after finding their sister who was stranded after a car crash and was missing for more than a day.
A family from Williamsport says last Thursday was one of the longest days of their lives. They searched for their sister for nearly 24 hours after she never made it to work. A brother finally found her pinned in her car along a road near Williamsport.
"She was on her way to work, just like any other day," said Jessica Harvey.
Last Thursday may have started like just another day for Jessica and Alex Harvey. That is until their big sister Alyssa Erb of Williamsport didn't show up at work.
The sisters say Erb left their home early in the Newberry section of Williamsport. A few hours later Erb's co-worker called looking for her.
"My sister just wasn't the type of person to not show up for work," said Jessica Harvey
"I texted her and said, 'Where you at?' I sent another one with a frowny face," said Alex Harvey.
With no answer, Erb's family says they knew something was wrong. They called police and started searching on their own.
"My mom and I were out until about 2 o'clock in the morning looking for her,” said Jessica Harvey
It was nearly 24 hours after Alyssa went missing that her brother Eric found her alongside Cemetery Road down an embankment where no one from the road could see her. Her family says she was trapped inside her car and barely breathing.
"He pretty much summed it up and said that it's an image he'll never be able to get out of his head," said Jessica Harvey.
Emergency responders cut Erb from her car. She was flown to Geisinger Medical Center near Danville. Jessica says both her sister's lungs had collapsed. She has a fractured vertebra and suffered a stroke.
"I went back to her room and looked at her and I said, ‘Alyssa are you okay?’ and she looked at me and she tried her hardest to say, 'Yeah.' I said, ‘Okay, I love you.’ She raised her hand and patted her heart,” said Alex Harvey.
"My sister is a fighter. I mean, being trapped for 24 hours in a car. What she went through down there I can't even fathom it,” said Jessica Harvey.
While state police are investigating, the family says Erb has a long road to recovery. They have set up a donation fund to help pay for medical bills.