Brighten Your Day

Man on vacation makes 2 rescues in 2 consecutive days

October 8, 2012

A man vacationing in Florida happened to be at the right place at the right time, not once, but twice. Gus Hertz saved the lives of three people in two consecutive days.

The first rescue came while Hertz's wife was looking out their condo window and witnessed a car drive straight into the water.

The driver of the vehicle suffered a diabetic episode causing him to pass out at the wheel. Hertz, as well as a local fisherman, rushed to the scene and pulled the man from his sinking car. The driver, Demetri Provias, was rushed to the hospital and released later that day.

The next day, Hertz decided to plan a calm, relaxing day of fishing. Little did he know he was going to be involved in another amazing rescue.

A small plane crashed right into the water where Hertz was fishing. 

"It started to descend and about 500 yards away I saw a huge splash, and it flipped over, and I thought oh my gosh, here I go again,” Hertz told reporters.

Hertz quickly drove his boat over to the crash site and pulled the pilot and his sole passenger from the plane and onto his boat.

Hertz dropped the couple off on shore and quietly went on his way. He continues to remain humble about his heroic actions.

"I did what anybody else would do, there was nothing spectacular about it, except it happened twice in a row."