An ordinary drive home from work turned into a life-or-death rescue for veteran NBC News correspondent Tom Costello on a busy Maryland highway.
According to the New York Post, Costello was traveling on the Capital Beltway last Tuesday when a speeding vehicle suddenly raced past him before crashing violently into a concrete barrier.
The impact sent the car flipping through the air before it burst into flames.
Debris scattered across the roadway as fire spread underneath the mangled wreckage.
Costello later recalled watching the horrifying scene unfold and immediately dialing 911.
“Somebody in here is in bad shape,” he warned dispatchers.
Believing there was little chance anyone could have survived the crash, Costello cautiously approached the destroyed vehicle. But when he looked inside, he found a teenage driver still alive.
“I thought, ‘nobody could survive this’. And it was a teenager. He was stunned. He wasn’t speaking. He had a gaze in his eyes, he was looking out the front windshield,” Costello said.
The 17-year-old was conscious but badly hurt.
“Everything hurts,” the teen managed to say.
As flames intensified around the vehicle, Costello faced a difficult decision. He feared moving the teen alone could worsen potential injuries, but leaving him inside the burning car was equally dangerous.
He began waving frantically at passing motorists for help.
Two medical professionals soon stopped — an orthopedic surgeon and a nurse.
Together, the group carefully coordinated the rescue. The surgeon stabilized the teen’s head and neck, Costello supported his torso, and the nurse grabbed his legs as they pulled him from the wreck.
Moments after they got him clear of the vehicle, the car exploded.
According to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer, the teen survived the terrifying crash and rescue.
Despite the traumatic experience, Costello returned to work almost immediately and was back on the air within hours.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the longtime journalist urged parents to speak with young drivers about safety behind the wheel.
“I think the lesson here is watch your kids. I mean, this was a 17-year-old, probably hadn’t been driving long, 100 miles per hour, he should be dead. I can’t believe he’s alive, to be honest with you,” Costello said.
