The man who rushed into a Winter Haven home after a plane crashed into it is speaking out, sharing his brave actions to help the girl trapped inside.
Moise Saint Hillaire lives nearby and noticed the plane flying low and making strange noises on Saturday. As he got closer he witnessed the plane crash into the home.
Inside, a 17-year-old girl was trapped by the plane and wedged through a wall.
Saint Hillaire said he knows the family and didn’t hesitate to run inside to help get everyone out. He said he first helped to get the co-pilot out, and noticed the pilot was deceased.
He said he got the rest of the family out and noticed that the girl was stuck, so he worked to keep her calm and evaluate her injuries.
Saint Hillaire said he noticed fuel leaking out of the plane so they shut off the home’s breaker box.
Saint Hillaire then went back inside and made the decision to record some cell phone video in case something happened.
“I wanted to make sure our families knew we were calm and OK in our final moments if that happened,” Saint Hillaire said.
Meanwhile, he worked to comfort the trapped teen.
“God got you OK? Just sent you a prayer. Give me a thumbs-up OK? Everything’s going to be OK,” he can be heard telling the trapped teen.
Saint Hillaire said moving the plane was not an option, and further injuring the girl was a concern.
He waited with her until firefighters arrived and were able to cut her from the wall.
Instructor pilot James Wagner was killed in the crash. The crash is under investigation by federal aviation officials.
