Former Mount Vernon Mayor Andre Wallace had a brush with death when he was thrown to the ground as a driver plowed through a local bagel shop.

Wallace was at the Bagel Zone on Main Street last Friday when an elderly woman lost control of her Jeep.

Instead of backing out of her parking space, she drove straight through the glass storefront, destroying the store and missing Wallace, who jumped out of the way by inches.

Wallace, the shop's owner and an employee were hurt during the accident.

They were rushed to the hospital by ambulance.

Wallace returned to the scene on Wednesday to get a closer look at the now-shuttered restaurant boarded up - and to thank the woman next door who called for help.

He tells News 12 that while he's still in a lot of pain, he is thankful for the new lease on life that he's been given because it's given him a greater sense of clarity about what really matters.