Wilmington helicopter pilot helps rescue premature baby in western NC

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — In western North Carolina, thousands of people are still without power, many of them stranded without access to medical help. 

As first responders to assist those in need, some helicopter pilots have taken it upon themselves to rescue people who are stranded. One of those pilots lives here in our area. 

Wilmington resident Zeb Hadley helped save an 11-day-old premature baby and an 87-year-old woman in need of oxygen. 

While working to assist in Western NC, Hadley met Florida State Guardsman Jonathan Howard and Charlie Keebaugh with the nonprofit Aerial Recovery, who helped him locate people to save. 

One of those people was an 87-year-old woman who only had one day of oxygen left. 

After being airlifted, the crew brought her to a facility to get medical help. 

Another rescue was an 11-day-old infant who was born prematurely. 

“The team that was deployed was the Florida Guardsman,” Hadley recalled. “They had I think 7 or 8 guys on the ground that went there to go meet the baby, got the baby on oxygen, we were then able to extract the baby and we actually landed on the roof of Mission Hospital in Asheville which was a pretty cool thing from out end and obviously the baby’s safe, the mom’s safe, and that was a good win.” 

When WWAY caught up with Hadley on Wednesday, he was loading up to bring several gas-powered generators to the western part of the state. 

In addition to saving those on the ground, Hadley also helped transport doctors from UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh to Charles A. Cannon Jr. Memorial Hospital nearly four hours away in Linville.