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Lone Survivor Recounts MedEvac Crash

Investigators Also Studying Videotape Evidence

POSTED: 4:54 pm EST January 21, 2002
UPDATED: 5:09 pm EST January 21, 2002

The investigation into Friday morning's MedEvac crash at University Hospitals is getting some help from two sources: videotape and the medic who survived.

Joe Paoletta

NewsChannel5's Ted Hart reported that the survivor, Joe Paoletta (pictured, left), 29, has courage, the ability to think quickly and an amazing story that he has shared with family and investigators.

There are dozens of surveillance cameras around University Hospitals, including at least two on the helipad. NewsChannel5 has learned that the hospitals turned over videotape from the cameras to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Investigators are also getting information from Paoletta, the lone survivor of the crash. Pilot William Spence of Marshallville, Ohio, and flight nurse Kelly Conti (both pictured, below) of Wickliffe, Ohio, were killed.

"All we know is what Joe told the medics on his way over to Metro, that the bird lifted off, started to sway, he yelled 'Building! Building! Building!' and away they went, 120 feet down," said Lt. Kevin Macritchie of the Cleveland Heights Fire Department.

Paoletta also worked as a firefighter with the Cleveland Heights Fire Department.

"He hit the ground; he was in the co-pilot's seat," said Pat Kehn, a firefighter. "(He) had a broken arm, (and he was) soaked with fuel. (He) kicked out the window, managed to release the harness and crawled out of the wreck."

Video

Paoletta sustained burns over 30 percent of his body. His co-workers at the fire department said that Paoletta is up to the struggle that comes with being a burn victim, a struggle that started Monday with a process called debreeding.

"Debreeding is like taking a wire brush and peeling off the dead tissue over the burn," Macritchie said. "(It's) painful, but that's part of the burn recovery."

The firefighters are in touch with Paoletta's family, who passed along a message from Paoletta.

"He says, 'Guys, live every day like it's your last,' so he has a new appreciation for life, I think," Kehn said.





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