It happened fast on Monday evening in East Sacramento. A medical helicopter came down hard on  local Highway 50, and for a few seconds, everything froze. Then, something remarkable broke through the chaos. Drivers abandoned their cars, ran toward the smoking wreckage, and together did what looked impossible: they lifted a helicopter to save three trapped crew members.

Footage from the accident shows that incredibly, the helicopter pilot somehow avoided cars traveling down the busy roadway. But once the aircraft hit the ground, the focus turned to saving the crew.

Video from the scene shows 15 to 20 people straining shoulder-to-shoulder beside the fuselage

Headlights cut through the dark as passing motorists turned rescuers, working in sync until the crew of three was free.

One of the first to act was Sacramento resident Kenneth De Crescenzo. He said he and his neighbor Elvin sprinted toward the crash the moment the helicopter hit the ground.

He said they didn’t stop to think about risk or danger. The only thought was that people needed help.

De Crescenzo’s wife, Terry, caught parts of the rescue on video while also helping nearby. She said they just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

The couple later credited first responders for arriving within minutes, calling the fire department’s and Highway Patrol’s quick response “immediate.”

Among those trapped under the helicopter was a flight nurse

Identified by family as Suzie Smith, relatives told ABC10 she remains hospitalized with severe injuries, and they’re praying for a full recovery. The other crew members, the pilot and a paramedic, are also hospitalized in “critical yet stable” condition.

Witnesses said the entire scene, from the helicopter crash to the rescue, unfolded in a blur of instinct and cooperation

De Crescenzo said there wasn’t time for hesitation. Strangers who had never met worked together with a single purpose.

For those involved, the moment has stayed with them. Terry De Crescenzo said the sight of people rushing forward instead of turning away reminded her that decency still runs deep.

In Sacramento that night, that simple instinct may have made all the difference.