NBC News correspondent Tom Costello sprang into action to save a teen after a 100 mile per hour crash earlier this week. The incident happened in Maryland.
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Speaking on the network, the NBC News correspondent says that he witness the wreck while driving home from work. He immediately pulled over to help after the teen's car caught fire.
"It was horrific," he said. "What happened was, this car passed me last night as I'm leaving work at 100 mph — that's my guesstimate. That car then made a corner and slammed into a concrete jersey barrier on the beltway."
"And when he did, the car exploded into a hundred pieces — not fire, immediately, but pieces everywhere," he said. "And I thought: If that person survived, you know, they need help fast."
NBC News Correspondent Saves Teen
Costello called for emergency services and told them to hurry. He then went to the car and tried to see if he could help free the teen from the crash. "I went and I opened up the car door, and I thought he would be dead," Costello said. "Honestly, I thought nobody could survive this."
The teen was awake and alert but couldn't feel his fingers or toes. With the flames growing along the vehicle, the NBC News correspondent had to move the teen despite the injuries. Two by-standers helped. Together, the three supported the teen's neck and carried him away from the burning car to safety.
The vehicle then "really caught fire and exploded," Costello said. The NBC News correspondent says he found the whole thing to be "sobering."
After the crash, he said he's struggled to sleep.
"I mean, thank God for that orthopedic surgeon, and the nurse, she was amazing," he said. "I think the lesson here is: Watch your kids. I mean, this was [driver], probably hadn't been driving long. ... He should be dead. I can't believe he's alive, to be honest with you."
