Blaine Gabbert, the backup quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recently made headlines for a heroic feat.
He and his brothers had been jet skiing near the Peter O. Knight Airport when they spotted debris and people in the water, leading them to discover a helicopter that had been forced to make an emergency landing. Inside the aircraft were a pilot and three passengers.
In a press conference in Tampa Bay, Gabbert said, “I vaguely remember hearing a faint noise. I just remember looking to the west and seeing… it almost looked like a crew boat in the water that had broken up in about four pieces. And I vaguely remember seeing like two yellow life jackets, so I’m like, ‘All right, we’ve got to go check this out.'”
The Gabbert brothers quickly sprung into action, helping the family to shore, and the pilot to a rescue boat. The Hupp family, consisting of Wesley, Lisa, and Hunter, were incredibly thankful for the player’s help. Hunter, 33, had been trapped in the helicopter underwater for a short time but was eventually able to get out.
The scene was described as “chaos” by Tampa Bay Police Department Interim Chief Lee Bercaw. When asked about the rescue, Gabbert said he was at the right place at the right time. He also credited the police, fire department, and sheriff’s department for their quick response.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach, Todd Bowles, was incredibly proud of his player. He praised Gabbert for his quick action and willingness to help without hesitation. “Anytime you can find a guy who will drop everything and go help somebody else that he doesn’t even know without even thinking about it, and take their life into their own hands and helping somebody else — saving their lives — that says a lot about the guy,” he said.
The Hupp family was particularly impressed with Gabbert, with Hunter joking that his mother had wanted to meet Tom Brady while they were in town and that Blaine came pretty close.
After a helicopter crashed into the bay yesterday, @BlaineGabbert and his brothers, who were on jet skis, were instrumental in the rescue. ???? pic.twitter.com/sg2pD1MM4Q
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 30, 2022
