praying4patience
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Marine Risks Life To Save Crash Victims
Marine Risks Life to Save Crash Victims
By Petty Officer 3rd Class Coleman Thompson
Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic
YORKTOWN, Va. – At approximately 12:40 a.m. Oct. 26, 2008, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Brandon Mikalik and his wife were getting ready to go to bed when they heard a loud bang come from nearby their apartment.
Outside, a silver minivan had swerved off the road and crashed into a tree, trapping the driver and one passenger inside as the vehicle’s engine compartment caught fire.
Mikalik, who is the platoon sergeant for the 6th Platoon, 2nd Fleet Antiterrorism Strike Team, told his wife to call 911 and ran immediately to the scene. He opened the driver’s side door to find the driver unconscious with his legs pinned. After hearing the passenger in back, he ripped open the sliding door and assisted the injured passenger in escaping the vehicle.
Getting the driver out wouldn’t be so easy. With the driver’s legs pinned and the fire creeping closer to the vehicle’s front cabin, Mikalik struggled to get the driver free. After asking for assistance from several bystanders, two men came to his aide.
“We worked for a good three minutes trying to get the driver out,” said Mikalik. “We actually ended up having to break the seat to pull him out. It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds after we pulled the driver from the van that the front passenger area just went up in flames.”
Both victims of the crash were transported to an area hospital where they were received treatment. The driver is currently in fair condition and the passenger has since been released. The injuries they sustained were nothing compared to what could have happened without the interjection of Mikalik.
“My husband risked his life to save those men,” said Sun Jae Mikalik. “The cops told him they would have been dealing with a fatality if it wasn’t for my husband.”
“I believe my Marine training helped because it gave me the initiative to rush in and help somebody,” said Mikalik. “I don’t think I was afraid at any point for myself, just concerned for their safety. I’d expect anybody to do the same thing for me if I was ever in a similar situation.”
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12/6/2008, 4:28 am
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