“It was an act of God that I was there that day, and that we were able to help,” said Mitchell Loewen, a defensive end for the New Orleans Saints.
Mitchell, his wife, and son had just attended church and were having lunch at a downtown New Orleans, Louisiana restaurant when they were startled by the sound of a huge explosion on the street outside. Rushing to the restaurant’s front window, Mitchell saw that a car had crashed down onto the road from the fourth floor of a parking garage.
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“There was a big boom, it sounded like a bomb had went off, and I turned over my shoulder and looked and there was dust everywhere…,” Mitchell said. “People were screaming. I saw a car that was upside down, and I told my wife at that moment, I said, ‘Watch our son. I’m gonna go help out.'”
Mitchell didn’t hesitate to rush out of the restaurant to the chaotic scene outside, arriving at the upside-down car before anyone else.
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“To tell you the truth, when I went over there and got on my hand and knees, I thought I was going to see a dead man,” Mitchell said. “And when I didn’t, I knew that we had a chance to save this man’s life.”
The driver’s legs were pinned inside the wreckage, and he was crying out in pain. Mitchell realized instantly that he could not pull the man out of the car by himself; he’d need help. Thinking quickly, the leadership skills Mitchell had honed from decades of athletic training kicked in, and he quickly recruited the first ten men he saw lingering around the wreck.
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“There were a bunch of people standing around, but not approaching the car and I was like ‘What’s up, let’s help this guy,’”he stated. “I mean, obviously there was someone in there, I wasn’t going to just stand by and watch. It was a life or death situation.â€
Mitchell organized the men in a line, and within a few short minutes they had all worked together to flip the car back over onto its tires.
Video shows bystanders helping flip a car after it fell from the fourth floor of a parking garage at Girod and O’Keefe streets. Police say one person was injured. (Video via Cate Creed) pic.twitter.com/nWmILiUDfi
— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) July 15, 2018
After one bystander crawled through the shattered windshield to unlock the door, Mitchell ripped the door clean off its hinges in order to get the man out.
“It’s amazing what the power of ten men can do!” Mitchell exclaimed later. “People were encouraged by leadership, so I just tried to lead by example and people just came along beside me and were amazing.”
Once the man was free of the car, they sat him down and waited for paramedics to arrive. Mitchell says he was in shock, but overwhelmed by gratitude for the men who’d saved him.
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“He didn’t say much, he was just thanking us all. I hugged him and told him he was going to be OK, and then I prayed with him,”Mitchell said. “I couldn’t tell how bad his injuries were, but there was a lot of blood and broken glass.â€
Mitchell says he never got the man’s name, but he wishes him a speedy recovery and is gratified that he was able to help him in his hour of need.
“It was like a movie. I just did what I had to do, and I wasn’t thinking about anything else,”he said. “I just want to meet the guy and talk to him. I’m still in awe and can’t stop thinking about him and praying that he’s all right.â€
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Way to go, Mitchell! It’s always inspiring when someone risks their own life and limb in order to come to a stranger’s aid.
Listen to Mitchel recount the story in his own words below, and be sure to share to say thank you to this NFL player and the brave strangers who sprung into action to save a stranger’s life!
Not all heroes wear capes!@Saints DE Mitchell Loewen explains how he helped save a man's life from an SUV that fell from a parking structure. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/F7GEpslJHf
— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) July 17, 2018
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