Former NFL player Brandon Bair made a heroic save after a fiery crash took place in Idaho.
Bair, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014 and 15, was on the scene Thursday night when he saw a train hit a truck driven by 25-year-old Steven Jenson.
Former NFL player Brandon Bair recalls every detail of a routine night that led to him saving the life of a 25-year-old Steven Jenson seconds before Jenson could have burned to death in Idaho. https://t.co/6I7Vxi0qKs
— KSL (@KSLcom) May 7, 2021
The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. on East 400 North near North 2300 East in St. Anthony. The train struck the semi on the passenger side, and Jenson was pinned inside the driver’s seat, unable to move.
Bair ran across the highway as the conductors were getting out of the train. Smoke filled the air, and flames covered the front of the train and the semi.
Bair, who played defensive tackle at Oregon before spending time with the Raiders and Eagles, told the paper what happened:
“The conductors clearly couldn’t breathe because of all the smoke in the cab,” Bair said. “They warned me not to go near the truck because it was up in flames.
“It was a conscious decision that I’m going in because he needs help right now. I ran up to the window and saw dripping hot flames all over inside of the truck. I could see a guy in a seatbelt and was able to reach in and get it off of him. He was talking, and I told him we had to get out of here now.”
The fire on the roof then fell, and the whole seat and cab went up in flames.
The father of four little girls, Bair knew he was taking a huge risk.
“I thought ‘My family will be OK without me.’ I ran in front of the train, found the guy and unbuckled him,” Bair said. “I got the steering wheel broken off and away from him. I calmed him down and said ‘We’ve got to get out of here, right now.’”
Bair stayed with Jenson until emergency responders arrived. Jenson was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. His sister, Terance Bagley said Jenson is stable.
“He has a lot of different injuries. They’re starting to take him off of his sedatives a little bit,” Bagley said.
A devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bair says that he was placed at the scene for a reason.
“I thought ‘The Lord wants that kid alive. He has something to accomplish,” Bair said.