'Citizen Hero': NFL Quarterback Blaine Gabbert Saves Family in Helicopter Crash
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Blaine Gabbert was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011 and has served as Tom Brady’s backup in Tampa Bay since 2020. He has also played for the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup Quarterback Blaine Gabbert is being called a “citizen hero” after he and his two brothers saved a family stranded in the ocean after a helicopter crash off the coast of Tampa Bay, Florida.
Hunter Hupp, 28, and his parents Lisa, 59, and Wes, 62, and the helicopter pilot all survived the incident. Minutes after crashing, the Gabbert brothers arrived at the scene and took the family to shore. The Tampa Bay Police arrived moments later and picked up the pilot.
Hunter Hupp, who gave an interview with FOX Sports after the incident, said his mother was hoping to meet Tom Brady while they were visiting Tampa. “I think she came pretty darn close,” the lucky survivor said.
After a helicopter crashed into the bay yesterday, @BlaineGabbert and his brothers, who were on jet skis, were instrumental in the rescue. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/sg2pD1MM4Q
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 30, 2022
Gabbert is a 12-year NFL veteran. He is currently the backup for Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 33-year-old has not taken a meaningful snap in the NFL since 2018, only filling in for Brady occasionally in mop-up duty during blowouts. Still, his actions on Thursday made him and his brothers heroes in the eyes of at least one family.
Maj. David Arthur of Hillsborough County Sheriff called Gabbert a “citizen hero” and Tampa Police Department's interim Chief Lee Bercaw named him an honorary member of the marine-patrol unit, presenting him with a hat and a ceremonial “unit coin.”
“They slowly brought us back to the shore, a sandy beach near the yacht club, and hung out for a while, were really nice,” Hupp, who lives in Philadelphia, said. “We exchanged pleasantries upon reaching flat ground. They were really an asset to helping us out, because we were the only ones out there for a while. It was a handshake and a hug and, 'Thank you so much.' They went out for a nice afternoon ride and just happened to come upon a stranded helicopter family.”
Hupp said he and his family had planned to go out for dinner that night after the helicopter ride, but after all the drama believes take-out Sushi and drinking “all the bourbon” will suffice.
The Pennsylvania resident said he was the last one out of the helicopter because he couldn’t free himself from the seatbelt and wires. “I am pretty astonished that I am standing here to talk to you,” he told reporters.
Gabbert, speaking to reporters on Friday, said he doesn’t see himself as a hero: “You guys would do the exact same thing that I did. I just happened to be in that situation.”
Gabbert said he and his brothers were jet skiing when they heard the crash around 5 p.m. local time. “It almost looked like a crew boat in the water that had broken up into about four pieces. I vaguely remember seeing two yellow life jackets” Gabbert recalled. “So I was like, ‘All right, we’ve got to go check this out.’ It looked like they were in duress. We raced over there.”
The Gabbert brothers are a bonafide football family. The middle Gabbert, Tyler, played for Missouri and Central Florida from 2010-13. The youngest, Brett, played for Miami, Ohio since 2019, earning Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2019. His 2022 season was cut short due to injuries, but he previously said he plans to transfer to a different university in 2023 to finish his collegiate career. He will have two years of eligibility remaining. Blaine Gabbert will be an unrestricted free agent next season.
The Tampa Police Department said in a release that it is coordinating with local and federal authorities to investigate the crash and recover the helicopter.
