(WHDH)–A local firefighter helped a U.S. veteran’s family escape Kabul with a unique codeword.

Said Noor, a former U.S. Army sergeant who previously acted as a translator for the American troops stationed in Afghanistan, had been struggling to make sure his family overseas was safe. Noor’s family found themselves trapped in the chaos when the Taliban took over.

“I was so much worried about them. I could not sleep, I could not even keep track of the time” Noor said.

Noor called his best friend and current Quincy firefighter Justin Pothier for help.

Pothier helped spread the word about the family’s situation, which eventually reached United States Representative Seth Moulton, and then marines in Kabul.

The family was rescued by marines who met them at the airport in Kabul and used codeword “Tom Brady.”

“That is something I will never forget,” Noor said.

The family is now in Kuwait waiting to join Noor in Texas.

Pothier is raising funds to help replaced everything the family left behind when they fled Afghanistan.

“I figured they have nothing, so it didn’t take much to get a GoFundMe going and I knew once it hit the internet and the story got out there, people would do their best,” Pothier said.

A GoFundMe has been set up in support of the family.

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