(TargetLiberty.org) – Last weekend’s deadly floods in Tennessee happened during some of the worst weather in the state’s history. Now it’s been revealed that the weather was so bad, police and National Guard helicopters couldn’t take off to rescue trapped victims. However, one brave American didn’t know – or didn’t care – about the severity of the storm.
Nashville helicopter pilot Joel Boyers had prayed for God to show him his life had meaning just days before the phone call came. https://t.co/c69U8A2MMm
— The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) August 27, 2021
On August 21, Joel Boyers of Nashville, TN had just finished helping his fiancée Melody Among qualify for her pilot’s license when his cell phone rang. The caller was a Pennsylvania woman whose family was trapped on the roof of its Waverly, TN home. Boyer, who has 16 years of helicopter experience and now owns Nashville flying school and for-hire company, HeliStar Aviation, didn’t hesitate. He and Among jumped into a tiny Robinson R44, which weighs just 1,500 pounds empty, and headed into the heart of the storm.
As they approached Waverley, Boyer realized the internet was down and he couldn’t find the roof where his caller’s family was trapped. Instead, he simply cruised his fragile helicopter over the flooded town, looking for anyone in trouble – then swooping in to rescue them. With space for just two passengers in the R44’s tiny cabin, he shuttled survivors to the home of local woman Jeani Rice-Cranford, who caught some of the drama on video. In all, Boyers and Among plucked 17 people from the floodwaters.
Later, when he landed to refuel, Boyers learned that much larger police and National Guard helicopters had been grounded by the weather. He says he has already spoken to the Federal Aviation Administration about what he did, because he wasn’t supposed to be flying in those severe conditions. “I know the FAA can take my license away if they see me flying like that,” he said – but 17 people will be forever grateful that he did it anyway.
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