By Laura French
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida man who was trapped for 30 minutes after a four-vehicle crash in 2016 reunited with the first responders who saved him on Wednesday.
Doug Haney was partially paralyzed in both legs after the bus he was driving was struck by a car that ran a red light, causing it and an SUV to slam into a semi-trailer, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. Crews from Orange County Fire Rescue worked to free Haney from between the bus and the semi while also aiding six others who were injured in the crash.
“If it weren’t for each and every one of them putting in the part that they did, it wouldn’t have worked,” Haney said, according to WKMG. “One minute more and maybe I wouldn’t have made it to the hospital on time.”
Haney read a thank you letter he wrote to the first responders from Orange County Fire Rescue as well as the flight crew from Orlando Health who airlifted Haney to the hospital, where he spent 16 months and underwent 13 surgeries during his recovery. Haney also gifted the first responders with plaques reading “Hometown Hero.”
Orlando Health Flight Paramedic Try Augenblick said it was humbling to see a patient again years later, and Orange County Battalion Chief Garrett Wienckowski said the reunion was the best gift the crews could have received.
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