Fayetteville firefighter rides with Blue Angels after saving child's life
Fayetteville firefighter honored with Blue Angels ride after saving child
Fayetteville firefighter Ryan Hyde took a 35-minute flight in a Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet. The flight honored Hyde for saving a 6-year-old boy during cardiac arrest, taking him through vertical climbs pulling up to 7.5 Gs ahead of the weekend airshow in Peachtree City.
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - A metro Atlanta firefighter and paramedic experienced a high-speed flight of a lifetime Wednesday in the cockpit of a Blue Angels jet as a community thank-you for saving a young boy's life.
Blue Angels demo flight
What we know:
Fayetteville Firefighter and Paramedic Ryan Hyde traded in his standard red fire rig Wednesday for a seat in a U.S. Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet. Hyde earned a nomination for the flight demonstration after reviving a 6-year-old boy who suffered cardiac arrest last February.
During the demonstration flight over Peachtree City, Hyde gave a thumbs-up as the jet taxied and took off from the runway. The ride pushed physical limits, pulling 6 Gs during a vertical climb and peaking at 7.5 Gs during a tight turn, forcing Hyde to withstand more than seven times his body weight.
Hyde stayed cool under pressure, smiling and chewing gum as the jet ripped through the sky. Despite handling the extreme maneuvers like a pro, the paramedic has no plans to trade his fire truck for a fighter jet anytime soon.
Along with the backseat ride in the fighter jet, Hyde received a community award recognizing his life-saving actions during the medical call.
Flight sensations and physical demands
What they're saying:
Hyde described the 35-minute ride as an unforgettable experience that provided new perspective on naval aviation demands.
"I feel fantastic," Hyde said. "It was a blast. It’s amazing all the stuff that they go through with these things, and it’s awesome to get to experience something that’s once in a lifetime."
The intense physical toll of the ride left Hyde in awe of what military aviators endure on a regular basis.
"Oh, I don’t know how they do that," Hyde added regarding the pilots' physical stamina. "Sitting at those consistent Gs the entire time, he said, ‘they fly for about an hour at a time every show.’ I only did 35 minutes, so it was crazy. And the amount of hours and the combat tours that he’s done."
Back at the station, his colleagues wasted no time welcoming him back with a long-standing first responder tradition.
"It started last night at the station. Actually, I worked last night and got off shift this morning, and they were already into me. So yeah, there’s always been a saying, if you make the news, you got to buy steak dinners for everybody. So I guess I got to buy dinner for everybody," he added.
Post-flight firehouse reactions
What we don't know:
Officials have not released the identity of the 6-year-old boy or specific details regarding what triggered the sudden cardiac arrest.
First responders and family members have not shared a public update on the boy's current condition or long-term recovery following his resuscitation in February.
Upcoming Atlanta Air Show
What's next:
Hyde’s flight comes ahead of the Atlanta Air Show, where the Blue Angels are set to perform Saturday and Sunday at Falcon Field in Peachtree City.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a flight demonstration and reporting in Peachtree City by FOX 5 reporter Doug Evans, as well as statements from firefighter and paramedic Ryan Hyde.