Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert is basking in high praise after speeding out on his jet ski to the watery crash site of a helicopter and helping to bring victims to the shore.
Gabbert, 33, was nearby when a helicopter plunged into the waters off the coast of Davis Island in Tampa’s Hillsborough Bay at around 5 p.m. on Thursday. And once they saw the crash, Gabbert and his brothers put their jet skis into action to respond to help the victims, Fox Sports reported.
The chopper went down about 200 yards offshore. Hunter Hupp, one of the accident victims, noted that it all happened so fast. “Let me tell you, helicopters sink really fast. We learned that rather quickly.”
All four people on the helicopter survived the crash but were left treading water, unsure of what to do from there. But, according to Hupp, it was only minutes later that Gabbert and the others powered up on their jet skis to carry them to dry land.
The jet skis typically can’t handle so many riders, but they served their purpose.
“They slowly brought us back to the shore, a sandy beach near the yacht club, and hung out for a while, were really nice,” Hupp added. “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.”
Later, at a team press conference, Gabbert demurred from being called a hero.
“It was just a pretty crappy situation that turned good in the end,” Gabbert told the media. “I was just right place, right time … the credit really goes out to Tampa PD, fire department, sheriff’s department because they were there within five seconds. It was pretty remarkable. It wasn’t me, just my brothers and I out having fun.”
Hupp said he had no idea that one of his rescuers was an NFL player and joked that he “almost” met Tom Brady.
“My mom said she was hoping to meet Tom Brady while we were down here,” Hupp said. “I think she came pretty darn close.”
Gabbert did not make a big deal of his part in recovering the accident victims. He didn’t mention it to anyone on the scene nor post about it on social media. But soon enough, the team found out and was a bit amazed at the story.
Bucs General Manager Jason Licht texted Gabbert asking if the story was real, and Bucs coach Todd Bowles later gushed about the feat.
Gabbert added that Mother Nature is “undefeated” in situations like that.
“The water and Mother Nature, she’s undefeated,” he said. “If you don’t treat the ocean with the utmost respect, in the air or on a boat, she’ll always come back to bite you. You always have to responsible, hyper-aware and know what’s going on. … I’m just glad they all made it out alive. I was just trying to do the right thing and help them out.”
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