On a cold morning along U.S. Highway 395, a tragic accident claimed the life of a beloved grandmother, Anna M. Kenney, but in the midst of the wreckage, a miracle unfolded. One-year-old Joy Howell survived the devastating crash with only minor bumps and bruises, all thanks to a properly fitted car seat a protective barrier that shielded her from the worst.

The accident happened near Loon Lake. Anna Kenney, 50, was driving her Toyota pickup truck northbound when she lost control, crossing the center line and colliding with two oncoming vehicles. Kenney wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash left a scene of twisted metal and shattered glass, yet out of this chaos came a story of survival.

In the backseat of Kenney’s truck sat little Joy Howell, securely strapped into her Graco car seat. Although the crash was severe enough to eject the seat from the vehicle, the baby remained unharmed. Her car seat landed on the shoulder of the road, among the debris, leaning against a guardrail a sight that Trooper Jeff Sevigney described as “pretty miraculous.”

Joy was found by a passerby who wasn’t involved in the crash, and despite the frightening circumstances, she was remarkably unharmed. A few bumps on her forehead were the only evidence of her ordeal. She was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, treated, and released shortly after. Her mother, Catherine Howell, shared her gratitude and relief on Facebook.

“This is what a fatal car crash looks like,” Catherine wrote in a post, along with a collage of photos showing the aftermath. “This is what a car seat looks like after an ejection. It looks just fine, just some scrapes. This is what a baby girl looks like after an ejection while in a car seat, she too was just fine.”

The images were powerful a car seat with a few scratches, and Joy, wrapped in a neck brace as a precaution, with a band around her arm for an IV. Catherine’s words echoed with profound emotion: “Defensive driving and a properly fitted and installed car seat saved Joy’s life.”

Catherine also expressed her gratitude to Graco, the maker of the car seat that protected her daughter during the crash. “We will be throwing away this car seat, but we will replace it with another one of your products,” she wrote. Her heartfelt message extended to her late mother: “Thank you, Mom, for looking out for my baby girl at your own expense. I love you more than words can express, I will see you again. Don’t worry, Mom, Joy is just fine.”

Washington State Patrol investigators determined that Kenney had been driving too fast for the snowy conditions. Although the crash was tragic, the survival of Joy Howell serves as a testament to the importance of car safety. The other two drivers involved in the accident were injured but did not require hospitalization.

As Catherine Howell prepares to say goodbye to her mother at a funeral in Addy, Washington, she carries with her the miracle of her daughter’s survival a symbol of hope amidst loss. The story of Joy’s escape from the wreckage reminds us that sometimes, even in the darkest moments, grace and protection find their way to us.