ACTON, MASS. (WHDH) - An Acton father who was on vacation with his family is now being hailed a hero for how he helped the victims of the Miami Beach helicopter crash.
Wade Callison and his teenage daughter were in the water Saturday when the helicopter crashed just feet away from where they were swimming.
“The crash was deafening. It was like something out of a movie,” said Callison.
Their relaxing vacation quickly turned into a race to the rescue.
“All of a sudden the thing just came down and crashed down and there’s a couple 10 to 15 feet from us and we’re yelling at them to watch out and they looked up and moved and it went down not far between us,” he explained.
The pilot was able to make it out on his own but two women were trapped inside the sinking chopper. Callison and another worked to get them free.
“Got her out, and were able to get her free and hold her head stable and float her out under the canopy,” he said. “And two of us carried her like that in our arms until a surfboard came up and we were able to put her on the surfboard then went back to get the other lady out of the helicopter.”
The two passengers and pilot are now recovering.
Callison said he is just thankful he and the others were there to help.
“There was like 15 guys hanging on the one skid to keep it from flipping while people were getting them out,” he explained. “In that moment we had to. You’re forced into it and you have to go help. I’m just glad I was able to be there too and just help the little bit that I did.”
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the cause of the crash.
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