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Good Samaritan loses legs after helping push a woman's car off the road in Genoa Township

Posted at 5:13 PM, Nov 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-16 17:13:46-05

A tragic accident in Livingston County has left a Good Samaritan fighting for his life.

It happened just after 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon in Genoa Township.

According to the Livingston County Sheriff Elect Mike Murphy, the Good Samaritan, 36-year-old Chris Alvarado, stopped to help a woman who’s car ran out of gas on Grand River Ave.

The woman had an infant in the car, and Alvarado was attempting to push her car into a nearby Subway parking lot, when another car struck him.

Murphy said the driver of the second car, a 77-year-old man, told investigators he did not see the stalled car or Alvarado and simply did not stop. 

The 77-year-old cooperated with the investigation and did not appear to have drugs or alcohol in his system.  Murphy said it will be up to the prosecutor’s office if any charges are filed.

Alvarado had to be life flighted to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor and had both of his legs amputated.

His family tells 7 Action News he has a hard road ahead and the next 48 hours are critical.

His brother, Matt, said Chris’s actions in the situation sum up his entire personality.

"He would do anything for anyone, and as you can see, he sees someone in distress, he's going to pull over and not think twice to help which he did,” said Matt Alvarado.

His family is simply devastated by this tragedy.

Chris has a fiance, five kids, and a sixth on the way.  The baby girl is due in January.

"It's just hard for us to wrap our heads around this, seeing him so helpless,” said Matt.

"Kind of a larger than life character and personality, total jokester but always ready to help out,” said his cousin, Sam Alvarado.

His large family, including his five siblings and multitude of cousins will be by his side.

"We need a lot of prayers.  Together we will for sure get through this, that's how we were raised and that's who we are,” said Sam Alvarado.

If you would like to help Chris and his family on his long road to recovery you can find a GoFundMe page here.