TRAVIS AFB — Staff Sgt. Ruben Tala, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, is being hailed as a hero for a Christmas morning incident on Highway 50.
Tala, his wife and child were traveling through the Sierra corridor shortly after 8 a.m. when he saw an SUV spin out of control.
“During that time, I mean, I think it’s the adrenaline kicking in,” Tala said in media interviews.
The SUV was teetering hundreds of feet above the ground. A video shows him holding the driver’s side door as the vehicle dangled over the edge.
“I thought about my wife and my daughter. What if there’s a family in that car? Somebody has to help,” Tala told Sacramento’s KCRA.
Other good Samaritans stopped to help the driver and his wife reach safety. The family’s appreciation came with one interesting tidbit. One of the couple’s dogs is named Luna, the same as Tala’s 22-month-old daughter.
Tala, his wife, Yvett, and daughter were taking a snow tip when the crash happened.
“Staff Sgt Tala and Yvett’s quick action and courage are a direct reflection of our Core Value of Service Before Self,” Lt. Col. Jason Christie, 60th Force Support Squadron commander, said in a statement to the media.
“We’re so proud to have them as our teammates and witness them ready to help anyone in need,” he added.
