Not all heroes wear capes, but some of them do play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers… well, maybe not play.
Bucs backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert was among a number of bystanders who helped rescue four people who were involved in a helicopter crash that occurred around 200 yards from the shore, and was “submerged in water.”
The Tampa police responded to a call that there was a “helicopter submerged in that water” near the Peter O. Knight Airport Thursday evening.
Tampa Police shared in the report that:
“No one was found to be injured and all four occupants of the helicopter safely reached shore.”
FOX Sports’ Greg Auman shared that Gabbert was one of the first to respond to the scene on a jet ski.
Hunter Hupp, one of the survivors told FOX Sports:
“They slowly brought us back to the shore, a sandy beach near the yacht club, and hung out for a while, were really nice. We exchanged pleasantries upon reaching flat ground.
They were really an asset to helping us out, because we were the only ones out there for a while. It was a handshake and a hug and ‘Thank you so much.’
They went out for a nice afternoon ride and just happened to come upon a stranded helicopter family.”
The 28-year-old also told the Tampa Bay Times that he was stuck under seat belts and cords while the helicopter was submerged, and was trapped for a good minute before he was able to escape and join his parents and the pilot.
Law enforcement said that the reasoning behind the crash was engine failure.
Gabbert is in his 12th season in the NFL, and his fourth with the Buccaneers, serving as backup to Tom Brady.
