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2 Women Rescued After SUV Plunges 60 Feet Off NJ Bridge Meet With 1st Responders

HACKENSACK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It was an emotional reunion at a firehouse in Hackensack, New Jersey Friday, when two women who cheated death met with the first responders who saved them.

At around 7:15 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, a Toyota RAV4 was headed east on Interstate 80 in Hackensack when it plummeted about 60 feet off an overpass.

The women ended up crashing into a snow bank that probably catapulted the RAV4 off of the bridge, narrowly missing the Hackensack River and landing tires down.

The driver, Elizabeth Wolthoff, 24, and her roommate, passenger Rebecca Winslow, 23, were trapped inside.

As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported, Wolthoff and Winslow were hugging the heroes who saved them on another Friday the 13th a month later.

"Probably one of the scariest days of my life and, and I just want to thank everyone," Wolthoff said.

"There's just no words; like, thank you isn't even enough," added Winslow. "I got my best friend back and definitely the scariest moment of my life. But at least I got this one here (pointing to Wolthoff), and I have all of these amazing people to thank for that. So thank you."

Wolthoff said the horror of the incident still haunts her.

"I actually still have melt downs about it once in a while, just because it is so unbelievable to think I fell off a bridge," she said.

Wolthoff said she was trying to avoid a truck when they took the plunge.

"I think I closed my eyes," she said.

Wolthoff said she does not remember the terrifying seconds when the plunge happened, but Winslow does.

"When we first went over, all I saw was the river, and the only thought in my head was just, 'Please God, not the river – it's so cold," Winslow said.

And the horror was hardly over when they hit the ground.

"And then the next thing I know, we hit the ground, and all I can think of was, 'Did I kill her?'" Wolthoff said.

They ended up landing tires down.

"I was screaming her name, and then she told me she couldn't breathe, so I got my phone to call 911," Wolthoff said.

And fire crews were not sure the young women would come out of it OK.

"Honestly, we didn't know what to expect," said Hackensack fire Lt. Callgero Trapani.

A dozen firefighters with the Hackensack Fire Department arrived at the scene within minutes, getting the women out using the jaws of life. They were shocked to see the victims alive.

"It was definitely a different Friday the 13th -- that's for sure," another firefighter said.

Wolthoff and Winslow were still wearing braces as of Friday, and remained in a lot of pain. They also had to have rods and screws put into their backs, but they retained their sense of humor.

Wolthoff said "any high-contact sports; roller coasters" are out of the question, and Winslow added, "no more bar fights."

But jokes aside, both said they were glad they were together for the ordeal.

"I kind of looked at her that she was there with me to like, you know, kind of go through this with me, because I don't know if I'd be strong enough to do it by myself," Wolthoff said.

Wolthoff and Winslow said they did not know the other was OK until their boss pulled a hospital curtain open. Now, they are depending on a fund set up by friends to get through because they do not have disability insurance.

The women said they will probably be going back to work at the daycare where they are employed sometime in September.

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