New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Mitchell Loewen is always ready to leap into action on the football field. And, after Sunday’s terrifying incident, it’s safe to say the same is true for his actions off the field.

The 25-year-old was enjoying brunch with his wife and 2-year-old son in New Orleans until an SUV plummeted from the fourth floor of a nearby parking garage.

Inside the car was one man (it’s still not clear why the car took the plunge) who needed immediate assistance.

“There were a bunch of people standing around, but not approaching the car and I was like ‘What’s up, let’s help this guy,’” Loewen told The Times-Picayune. “I mean, obviously there was someone in there, I wasn’t going to just stand by and watch. It was a life or death situation.”

When Loewen rushed over to the car, he saw that the man was stuck in the passenger seat. So, he called about 10 other bystanders over so they could flip it.

 

 

After pushing it upright, the doors were so crushed that they wouldn’t open. That’s when the lineman pulled one door off its hinges, and began speaking to the scared man.

“He didn’t say much, he was just thanking us all,” Loewen said about the victim. “I hugged him and told him he was going to be ok, and then I prayed with him. I couldn’t tell how bad his injuries were, but there was a lot of blood and broken glass.”

Once paramedics arrived on scene, they pulled him out and transported him to the hospital. According to Aaron Looney of the New Orleans Police Department, the man is expected to survive.

Loewen played in two games last season before being placed on injured reserve in September with a high-angle sprain suffered in practice. During his rookie season, he was put on the Saints’ reserve/non-football injury list in June.

Hopefully, his karma from this heroic act will land him a spot on the team’s 53-man roster in 2018.