MITCHELLVILLE, Iowa — A group of Sheepsgate addiction recovery center residents were on their way to church when they stopped to assist at a car crash south of Mitchellville.

The crash occurred on Sunday, just after 9 a.m., at NE 112th Street and East University Avenue. Authorities say a Honda had stopped at the intersection and was turning onto Highway 163 when it was struck by a Buick. The Honda rolled down the embankment and landed on its roof, submerged in water.

Sheepsgate residents say they were approaching the crash when they noticed the overturned car and made the decision to help.

“We noticed the horn was going off and it sounded like it was, there might be someone still in the vehicle. So a lot of us ran over just to make sure there was nobody in the vehicle,” said Michael Whaley. “The officer noticed there was someone in the vehicle so we just asked if we could push the vehicle over to make sure that person was okay.”

Seven residents and a deputy were able to flip the car over and access the driver cutting his seatbelt and pulling him from the vehicle. Residents say he wasn’t breathing at first.

“We couldn’t see him breathing but once we got the seatbelt off, then he started to gasp for air and then he got a low pulse,” said Robert Bullock.

“He was, as the man said, blue and then we just watched the Holy Spirit breathe life right back into his lungs, right in front of us,” said Logan Hobbs. “And we all witnessed a miracle.”

The man, later identified as 74-year-old Kyle Spates, was transferred to the hospital via life flight and is recovering. The four occupants of the second car sustained minor injuries and were also taken to the hospital.

Sheepsgate is a faith-based addiction recovery program. As part of the program, residents go to church every Sunday, always taking that route. Residents say they feel the crash happened there, so they would be able to help.

“It’s surreal, and to me it’s proof this program does work because there could’ve been a day when, I’ll be honest, I would’ve driven by that, but in that moment, we chose to help,” said Bullock. “It was a very humbling situation. We were put there at that time for a reason, for that purpose.”

“In reality, there were four to five cars that did the typical thing, it’s not a dig at them, but they did the type of thing where they slow down and they drive on. For our guys to stop, to get out and to see if everybody’s okay, and then realize, hey, there’s a car in the ravine, we need to figure out what we can do is pretty awesome,” said Michael Hunsberger, Sheepsgate President.