- A wilderness therapy group saved a couple trapped under a UTV in Emery County on Monday.
- Instructor Madison Brandt led the rescue, lifting the vehicle to free the victims.
- Emery County sheriff's deputy Jeremy Lake also expedited medical help; the man is expected to recover.
CALF CANYON, Emery County — A wilderness therapy group in central Utah are being hailed as heroes after jumping into action to save a couple trapped beneath their overturned side-by-side on Monday afternoon.
The accident happened near Calf Canyon in the San Rafael Swell of Emery County, about 40 minutes from Huntington.
Madison Brandt, the adventure program instructor with the Elements Wilderness Therapy Program out of Huntsville, Weber County, told KSL that when they came upon the crash, the man and woman were pinned under the machine.
Brandt said the husband had suffered the worst injuries — the entire weight of the vehicle crushing the lower half of his body. Law enforcement said that freeing him quickly was critical to saving his life.
Brandt said the couple was in distress and screaming for help.
"The gentleman was very distressed, very agitated and scared, and was screaming for help," Brandt said.
Brandt and her team, along with several students, worked together to lift the UTV just enough to pull the man and woman out.
"I had three students, myself and another staff (member) stand on the back side of the vehicle and lift it up a couple of feet — just enough that so another staff (member) could pull the man out from underneath and another staff (member) could pull the woman out from underneath," Brandt explained.
Brandt said the wife got stuck while trying to free her husband. Fortunately, the group had emergency training, and the students didn't hesitate to act.
"These students are part of an outdoor therapy program. So many of our goals for them is to learn how to emotionally regulate when they're distressed, how to be accountable for their actions, how to show up with honesty and integrity and care for their community and have confidence to embrace challenge. And, like all of that played out in this scenario," said Brandt.
"Those students didn't hesitate to act. They worked together, they listened to instructions," she said.
Emery County sheriff's deputy Jeremy Lake said he was planning to head home but then thought he would stay in the area a little longer. That decision was critical to being there quickly to help medical teams arrive.
"I believe I was put there for a reason. I don't think that this is just happenstance," he said. "I think because of everything that happened and where everybody was — yes, it saved his life," Lake said.
The man was airlifted to a hospital with critical injuries, including multiple broken bones. Deputies said he is expected to make a full recovery.
"He is super lucky. He's very lucky," Lake said.
