GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP (WJRT) -
(02/15/12) - A Grand Blanc man was a quarter of a mile into the woods in rural Genesee County when he tripped and fell face first. The fall was captured on tape and so were the people who came to his rescue.
On Wednesday, the skier is saying 'thank you' to the paramedics he says saved his life.
Randy Nietzscke bought a video camera to capture his outdoor adventures. He and his wife pushed record while cross-country skiing off Fenton and Cook Roads a few months ago in Grand Blanc Township.
"I was going down a bunny hill, then one ski went under a stick, another ski went over the top of it, I did a face plant. I thought I hit a tree. It felt like someone hit me in the head with a two by four. My neck snapped. I had no feeling from neck down."
Randy was 500 yards from the nearest neighborhood. His wife was forced to leave him covered in snow to be sure rescue crews could find Randy tucked back into the woods.
Brandon Thompson was one of the paramedics who arrived on scene to get Randy out. "His wife let us know that he heard a pop in his neck, right away we called our Genesee County paramedics."
Randy made a complete recovery and said thank you to paramedics Brandon Thompson and Robert Leonard.
"It shows what we do really means something to people," Leonard said.
"It means a lot, because not a lot of people come back and thank us, let alone thank us on the truck," added Thompson.
"They told me I couldn't hug or kiss them, it's just amazing that they do what they do. I can't thank them enough," Nitzschke said.
