Drexel Hill, Pa. (CBS) — neighbors who helped Honored Thursday after a helicopter crash at Drexel Hill, He was recognized by Drexel Hill mayor and state representative Mike Zabel.
Residents rushed to the accident site and helped in the rescue operation.
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The medical chopper crashed in front of Drexel Hill United Methodist Church on January 11. All four people aboard the helicopter narrowly escaped.
Each one of the honored Good Samaritans said that not once did they feel panic or intimidated when they jumped into action to help. And of course, every second counts on January 11, the day the medical helicopter crashes.
On Thursday, they were inside Drexel Hill United Methodist Church calling the event “a miracle on Bermont Road.”
Four citizens were honored: an Upper Darby High School senior, his Uber driver, a neighbor who was picking up care packages for homeless families, and an off-duty EMT.
The medical helicopter was on its way to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with a 2-year-old girl, a flight nurse and a paramedic. It was only within 10 minutes of landing that they heard a loud bang.
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Pilot Daniel Moore aimed a patch of grass next to the church, avoiding power lines and trees. Quick thinking allowed him to protect himself and everyone on board.
Moore said the only option he had was to crash slowly and that’s how witnesses describe the impact.
The chopper landed on the left side against the wall, seriously injuring the 51-year-old pilot. Everyone else on board was fine.
“My role ended up being to call 911 and then once they got the pilot out and away from the helicopter, I leaned over next to the guy and was like, ‘Hey, I called 911. Help is on the way. You’re going to be fine,'” said senior Emma Gray.
Good Samaritan Tina Hamilton had blankets in her car and rushed to help.
“I was grateful I had them because I was able to get the baby and the pilot a blanket,” Hamilton said. “It was cold outside. It had to be one of the coldest days. It was cold. I don’t know what the temperature was but the wind was brutal.”
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The NTSB investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.