On Veteran’s Day, a Los Angeles Marine vet was able to help a 20-year-old man who was thrown from his motorcycle and catapulted through the air after a vehicle crashed into him.
The veteran, George Ramirez, said he saw the young man fly through the air and land on the sidewalk in front of his home in North Hills, according to Local 12 News.
Ramirez’s security video captured the whole thing.
The video showed a vehicle turning left and colliding with the motorcyclist.
“I saw him literally right there in the driveway,” Ramirez said, ABC 7 News reported.
Ramirez swiftly ran to the victim’s aid and knew just what to do from his time in the service.
“I didn’t even realize to be honest that that’s what the day was at the moment. For some strange reason the young man was delivered literally to my door step. I could not ignore that. I had to help him as I would anyone else,” he said.
Others came to help, including the driver of the vehicle that collided with the motorcyclist, while awaiting medics to show up.
After several surgeries, the young man did survive.
Ramirez said, “The distance that he was involved, so thankful that he was wearing a helmet, a full-faced helmet and good leather jacket and I’m certain without that helmet he wouldn’t have had a chance.”
Veteran comes to aid of injured motorcyclist on Veteran’s Day: https://t.co/PTTPinoSa1 pic.twitter.com/xf3F0H5vjl
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) November 18, 2018
A very similar incident occurred in August, when a Marine vet saved a 19-year-old who was thrown from his motorcycle on Highway 17 near Wilmington, N.C., according to CBS 17 News.
Jacob Blanton said, “Whenever I hit the car, I remember being thrown off the bike. The bumper flew off the car, then I flew off the bike, slammed into the asphalt and then I remember going across the median lane and two lanes of oncoming traffic. I could see the headlights coming at me. When the headlights were coming at me, and I saw 18 wheelers whiz by, I figured it was the end of me.”
Blanton landed on the northbound lanes against a curb.
Just in the nick of time, a Marine showed up to help.
“He got beside me and he got on his knees. He held my arms down and tried to get me to stay calm and then he was telling me, ‘It’s gonna hurt’ and he pulled his belt off and put it around my leg like a tourniquet. He said I was losing a lot of blood,” Blanton said.
A nurse at New Hanover Regional Medical Center said without the tourniquet Blanton may have died.
The Marine vanished, and Blanton had no idea who he was, so his sister posted on Facebook about the incredible rescue.
Jacob’s sister, Jessica Blanton said, “Hundreds of people shared the photos and what happened to my brother. I heard it made its way all the way up to Georgia. On Saturday, we got a call that the Marine had seen the post and my brother contacted him and they talked.”
The family said they will be forever grateful to the mysterious Marine who saved Jacob.
