Airman saves life, continues helping others

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Trevor Rhynes
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  

While on leave in Alabama for the holidays, one Incirlik Titan and his father noticed the scene of a fiery crash that unknowingly to them, left one person unconscious in the vehicle.  Staff Sgt. Corey Bryant, 39th Security Forces Squadron vault storage area supervisor, and his father had just left their relative’s store when the duo noticed the accident.

 

“Probably like four or five minutes later we were just driving down the road and noticed a burning car at a gas station,” he said. “We actually started recording it because we had never seen a burning car before. It was crazy! As we recorded and continued driving we heard people yelling outside saying ‘he’s in there.’”

 

Corey’s dad, Mike, was in the driver’s seat and upon hearing calls for help made his way to the gas station to lend a hand.

 

“Not even a half a second went by before he pulled the truck over and hopped over the curb to get over to the vehicle,” Corey said. “We just got out the car and ran across the street. He ran to the driver side where the guy was and I went over to the passenger side. The driver was stuck, still strapped in with his seatbelt, so my dad was calling for a knife or something to cut the belt with.”

 

A bystander provided a knife and Mike was able to free the driver from the belt. Corey was able to pull the driver from the vehicle.

 

"First thing you want to do is save lives and when they said that the pump was burning, you don’t think about that. Is the pump going to blow up? Our first reaction was to get that person and those personnel out of that vehicle as fast as possible,” Mike said.

 

Helping others is nothing new for the father-son duo. Mike retired from the Army after more than 25 years of service and Corey is in his 12th year in the Air Force.

 

When he’s not performing in his role as a security forces member, Corey spends time pushing people to better themselves through workout classes or personal development.

 

Corey started Gainznation to help others with physical fitness and Incirlik Elevated, which brings like-minded individuals together to discuss goals, roadblocks, ideas and other personal development topics.

 

“I’m just trying to raise people's awareness and make them become a better person, or to get them to think at a higher level,” Corey said. “We ask ‘what is your gift?’ What is your purpose in life?’ Then we brainstorm ways so they can actually take action.

 

“How can you not want to leave a positive impact in the world? Like, what else are you?” Corey continued. “So I’m just going back to the examples my father has set for me throughout my life. I want to help pull the best out of people and that helps me be the best I can be too.”