A family is spending another Christmas Day together because of swift action by a Camp Pendleton Marine who came to their rescue more than two weeks ago.
The family of three was driving on east Mission Road around 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 when a gas can fell off a truck driving in front of them and became wedged under the engine, fire officials said.
The sparks from the wedged gas can caused the car to catch fire while the family was inside. Tony Hurley and his wife were able to exit the car immediately, but their 1-year-old daughter was trapped inside because the car seat was stuck, fire officials said.
Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Wetter happened to be driving behind the family and jumped out to help the mom who said, “My baby is in the back.”
“I don’t even want to imagine if he hadn’t been on scene,” Hurley told ABC 10 News.
Wetter used a pocket knife to cut the seatbelt, which allowed Hurley to get the baby out.
Hurley told ABC 10 News that Wetter is a hero.
“I’m just a good person in the right place at the right time,” said Wetter in a video posted on Twitter by Marine Corps Installations West.
The family created a GoFundme campaign to purchase a new car.
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