A U.S. Air Force staff sergeant rescued a couple after their SUV spun out and came to rest dangling over the edge of Historic Highway 50 in California on Christmas morning. Staff Sergeant Ruben Tala saw the crash unfold.
Video of the incident shows the vehicle teetering far above the ground as Tala grabs onto the driver’s side door to help keep it steady. Other drivers stop as well, and together they help the driver and his wife climb out of the SUV. Once safely away from the edge, the woman clutches their two dogs, visibly shaken but unharmed.
Later, Tala shared that he acted instinctively after thinking about his own wife and young daughter and imagining a family trapped inside. Air Force leaders praised his response, saying it reflects the service-first mindset he lives by.
