Two teenage brothers are being called heroes after officials said they pulled a man out of a burning vehicle on Route 9 in Nelson. Vincent Heck, 19, and Jake Heck, 16, from Hillsboro, were in the car with their family passing through Nelson Friday morning, en route to Maryland.They witnessed a pick-up truck swerve off the road and crash into a large rock on Route 9. The boys had their mom pull over as the pick-up truck started smoking. They ran out of the car and over to the truck, looking for anyone inside and found an unconscious man. “I immediately told my mom to pull over, and before she even stopped the vehicle, I jumped right out and ran over,” Vincent said.The boys pulled the man from the truck just seconds before it went up in flames. Jake checked the back of the truck for any passengers before helping Vincent carry the man away from the vehicle.They were then able to use CPR techniques to open the man’s airways so he could breathe better until paramedics arrived on scene. Nelson Fire Chief Joseph Sarcione said the victim is recovering in the hospital and is progressing.”By the time I got there, the vehicle was fully engulfed and if that individual was still in there, that individual would never have survived the incident,” Sarcione said.Support for the boys poured in from fire and police departments statewide, but the brothers themselves do not consider their actions heroic. “I did what I could do. If it wasn’t for my brother getting him out of that car, he would not have survived. I was not fast enough to get him out of the car,” Jake said.”I just think I was doing what any normal human being should do. I wish somebody would do the same for me,” Vincent said.
Two teenage brothers are being called heroes after officials said they pulled a man out of a burning vehicle on Route 9 in Nelson.
Vincent Heck, 19, and Jake Heck, 16, from Hillsboro, were in the car with their family passing through Nelson Friday morning, en route to Maryland.
They witnessed a pick-up truck swerve off the road and crash into a large rock on Route 9.
The boys had their mom pull over as the pick-up truck started smoking. They ran out of the car and over to the truck, looking for anyone inside and found an unconscious man.
“I immediately told my mom to pull over, and before she even stopped the vehicle, I jumped right out and ran over,” Vincent said.
The boys pulled the man from the truck just seconds before it went up in flames. Jake checked the back of the truck for any passengers before helping Vincent carry the man away from the vehicle.
They were then able to use CPR techniques to open the man’s airways so he could breathe better until paramedics arrived on scene.
Nelson Fire Chief Joseph Sarcione said the victim is recovering in the hospital and is progressing.
“By the time I got there, the vehicle was fully engulfed and if that individual was still in there, that individual would never have survived the incident,” Sarcione said.
Support for the boys poured in from fire and police departments statewide, but the brothers themselves do not consider their actions heroic.
“I did what I could do. If it wasn’t for my brother getting him out of that car, he would not have survived. I was not fast enough to get him out of the car,” Jake said.
“I just think I was doing what any normal human being should do. I wish somebody would do the same for me,” Vincent said.
