PEORIA, AZ — "I don't remember anything... like the pair of headlights that I saw, I thought it was coming from the other side," says Julian Cano.
Twenty-three-year-old Cano is miraculously alive and talking after being hit head-on in a wrong-way crash along Loop 101 Tuesday night. His father, Oscar, shared a video with ABC15 in hopes this tragedy serves as a warning to others.
"All it takes is one thing to happen for the rest to just domino effect... that's all it takes. One bad move costs lives," says Cano.
Cano was heading home from work at the time of the crash.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say an 18-year-old driver was trying to make a U-turn on Loop 101 near Thunderbird when the crash happened. The wrong-way driver was killed, and Cano was seriously hurt. He tells us the crash itself is a blur.
"Waking up in the hospital, that was it, with a ventilator in my throat," says Cano.
Cano is in a lot of pain after having surgery on his leg and he may need more surgeries. It will be a grueling recovery but Cano is staying positive.
"I just want to eat some food," says Cano.
He says he is pulling through with the help of family and friends who have even started an online fundraiser for him. Above all else, Cano is just thankful to be alive and believes his mother was there in spirit by his side.
"She passed away from cancer two years ago but I give her credit for keeping me here. I love my mom," says Cano.
Troopers are still investigating why that other driver tried making the U-turn and whether impairment played a role.
To help the family, you can contribute to their GoFundMe fundraiser.
