'He Had Completely Bled Out': Teens Save Friend Critically Injured In Calaveras County Boating Accident
CALAVERAS COUNTY (CBS13) – What started as a calm Saturday on New Hogan Lake turned hectic for Blain Mossa and his friends.
"It was just like a normal day," Abby Porath said. "It was hard to believe it was real," Tyler Ferrante said.
The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office said Blain and his friends were out on their boat when someone fell during a wakeboarding run. As the boat driver turned to go get them, they didn't know Blain had jumped into the cool water.
The propeller of the boat slashed through his shoulder and leg.
Get the app: Download the CBS Sacramento News app for iOS and Android
"The first thought was to get him in the boat and make sure he is okay. I mean, I really wasn't thinking much," Porath said. "He just yelled out for help and my first instinct was to grab him as fast as possible."
READ: Man Struck By Boat Propeller Drowns At South Lake Tahoe
His friends say Blain swam to the boat and were in shock of what they saw.
"I saw the leg and I was like oh this is real. So I hurried up and I grabbed some towels and I had Abby put some pressure on his leg. She was still in shock," Donivan Giangregorio said. "So I had to help put it on the leg. I just had to grab Blain, calm him down and have him relax to slow his heart rate down."
After speeding to the dock and getting medical attention, Blain was taken to a Modesto hospital.
"For the first four hours, we didn't know if we were going to have a son when it was all said and done," Erin Mossa, Blain's mother, said.
She said Blain's friends performed a maritime miracle.
"The doctor there said he had completely bled out. So they were able to keep just enough blood in his body so he could survive until he got to that hospital," Erin Mossa said.
Get our news app: Download the updated CBS Sacramento News app for iOS and Android
The 17-year-old football player's leg and, most importantly, his life, were saved by not just two, but all of his friends. The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office is saying without them, Blain wouldn't have survived.
"I don't think we could have done it with just the two of us. I mean, I think that everyone helped in whether it was big or small. Everyone just came together," Porath said.
"We love Blain and we'd do it again in a heartbeat," Jake Black said.
Faithful friends saving the son of a beyond thankful mother.
"Still some of them are saying, 'What if I did this, what if I did this,' Like you did perfect. You did what you need to do. He's here. He's in the hospital. Not…That's what's important," Erin Mossa said.
Blain's mom said that he is recovering at UC Davis as doctors try to figure how much mobility he will have in his foot and leg moving forward.
