Nearly three weeks after a fiery crash nearly claimed the life of his daughter, Goodyear Fire Capt. Simeon Cheatham stood before reporters to reflect on the rescue that saved her, and the community that continues to carry her through recovery.
“What (Officer Dakota Berry) did was nothing short of a miracle,” Cheatham said. “The fact that he happened to be traveling back to Goodyear at that exact moment gives me chills. He wasn’t supposed to be there, but he was.”
The early-morning crash on May 25 involved multiple vehicles on Interstate 10 near 91st Avenue. As flames engulfed one of the vehicles, Berry, who was returning from transporting a prisoner, acted without hesitation. He broke the driver’s side window, pulled the woman from the burning car, and sustained injuries to his own hand in the process.
“I ended up hearing the car horn honking and ran over to the driver’s side,” Berry said. “At that time, I realized someone was still alive in the vehicle. No matter what, I was going to do whatever I could to get them out.”
It wasn’t until later that Berry learned the woman he had rescued was the daughter of a fellow first responder.
He had saved Asharie Cheatham, a 19-year-old Arizona State University student and the eldest of Capt. Cheatham’s three daughters.
“I know in my heart that Officer Berry would’ve done the same for anyone, because that’s who he is,” Cheatham said. “But it just so happened that day, it was my daughter. And for that, our family will be forever grateful.”
Asharie, who had just finished her freshman year studying to go into physical therapy, suffered burns to approximately a third of her body. She was taken to the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health, where she underwent multiple surgeries, including skin grafts, and is now beginning intensive rehabilitation.
“Right now, she is doing as well as anybody could do under these circumstances,” said Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center. “A burn of this magnitude is really a lifelong injury.”
Foster said Asharie will likely undergo reconstructive and laser surgeries in the future and will work extensively with physical therapists to regain full use of her limbs.
Cheatham described his daughter as a fighter with a personality that draws people in instantly.
“She’s strong. She’s resilient. She’s a fighter. She has a beautiful smile … she’s a very good and beautiful person.”
Despite both he and Asharie’s mother working in medicine, Cheatham said they initially felt helpless.
“You feel like, ‘I should be able to do something,’ but you can’t,” he said. “What gave me peace was knowing she was in the best hands.”
Cheatham expressed profound appreciation for the coordination between city departments and the love shown by his fire service family.
“Your response was fast, seamless and filled with compassion,” he said. “One of the great things that we have here in the city of Goodyear is an amazing relationship between the police department and the fire department.”
Goodyear Police Chief Brian Issitt visited Berry in the hospital after he sustained injuries to his hands while pulling Asharie from the vehicle.
“When I thanked him for his courage, he just said, ‘I was doing my job, sir.’ What a remarkable statement from a true hero,” Issitt said.
Cheatham said he’s focused now on his daughter’s daily progress. The community has come together to support him and his family by raising more than $47,000 toward their $50,000 goal on a GoFundMe page to help cover Asharie’s medical expenses, rehabilitation and basic living needs.
“You’ve already overcome so much, and we know the road ahead will be long. But with all this love behind you and your unstoppable spirit within you, you’ll get through this, and you’ll come out stronger, wiser and even more radiant than before,” Cheatham said, directly addressing his daughter.
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