The wife of her husband who was hit by a SEPTA bus is speaking out

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA – A Philadelphia woman wants justice until she regains her physical and emotional strength.

Kayla Spooner says she was with her husband, Michael, in South Philadelphia in early January when they were hit by a SEPTA bus while crossing the street. Kayla was injured but survived. Unfortunately, Michał died on the spot.

What we know:

It was January 3, at South Front Street and Washington Avenue. Kayla and Michael Spooner were hiking just before 7 p.m. near their home on their way to the Ritz Cinema.

Lt. Brown of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Crash Investigation Division said the pair were crossing northbound Washington Avenue when a SEPTA bus turned from Front St. towards the west. He testified that they were almost on the sidewalk when they were hit.

“When the light changed back to a person crossing in the crosswalk, we started crossing the street and that was it. The next thing I remember was that I was lying on the ground. I had no idea what happened,” Kayla said.

A SEPTA bus driver stopped just inside the crossing after turning left.

Kayla describes this scene:

“I turned around and I saw this hat in the crosswalk and there was a car stopped at a red light and it just asked if I had been hit and I said yes, but where was my husband? I was just getting ready and he ran to the bus and said, “He’s under the bus.”

“I didn’t care about anything else. I ran. I remember asking if we could get him out. Nobody really had a plan,” she continued. “I thought, well, I’m taking it out. So I asked the guy who stayed if he could help with the legs. I crawled under and grabbed his arms. He helped his legs, so we pulled him out. He didn’t react. No pulse, so I jumped into action. I work in a hospital, so I immediately started CPR.

“Someone asked who it was and I just remember saying it was my husband,” Kayla recalled.

“There were people on the bus, people on the sidewalk. I just kept going,” she commented. “And as soon as the paramedics got there, they were able to take over. It was nice – he was gone.”

FOX 29’s Steve Keeley asked, “You’ve never even seen or heard a bus?”

Nothing. It was so fast. Like I almost felt comfortable knowing that I didn’t even know what happened. So let’s hope he didn’t know what happened,” Kayla replied.

Keeley continued, “Did you see the crosswalk sign?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t even a countdown timer. It was a man walking. We had plenty of time. When it actually happened, we were already halfway there.”

History:

They were married a few days before Halloween, her favorite holiday, which Michael went to every year dressing up as her. A photo displayed in their home shows them handing out treats in costumes to one of seven adopted animals last Halloween.

Right after they celebrated their second anniversary, in their living room is a balloon with the number 6 on it, which Michael bought for Kayla to celebrate her sixth anniversary of cancer recovery.

Large image view:

Michael’s ashes are in an urn in their home next to another box marked “Till Death Do Us Part” – the box that contains his wedding ring.

Cancer and the sudden death of her husband of 35 years, all before Kayla was 30.

He says, “I was able to beat cancer, so hopefully with Michael’s help I can get through that healing and, you know, make some changes and some good will come out of it.”

What’s next:

A SEPTA spokesperson said the agency will soon talk to FOX 29 about bus swerving and the side mirror blind spot. It was the subject of a previous pedestrian death, also on Washington Avenue in 2014.

Kayla shared this warning: “It happened again. What to say this won’t happen again and again. The reason I’m doing all this is in the hope that I can actually raise awareness and make a difference. Because we did everything right. We were at a pedestrian crossing. We waited. Michael was wearing a bright yellow hat. And now I just can’t believe that something like this could happen two blocks from our house. Will this happen to anyone otherwise?”

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