Aiden Bridges, 12, was on a cruise with his family when he suffered a life-threatening perforated intestine.
The U.S. Air Force rescued a 12-year-old boy suffering from a life-threatening medical emergency while he was at sea on a family cruise in a military-style operation.
“I was just scared and screaming scared the whole time,” the boy’s mother, Angela Bridges, tells Inside Edition.
Aiden Bridges and his family were aboard the Carnival cruise ship Venezia when he suffered a life-threatening perforated intestine.
“The doctor on the ship said he needs to be taken off the ship immediately,” Angela says.
The Air Force used two choppers from a base in Florida and flew nearly 400 miles across the ocean. They hauled up Aiden and his mother to one of the aircraft.
Passenger Marla White filmed video of the rescue operation.
“I was just totally shocked and amazed how everything pulled together and it was just astounding,” White tells Inside Edition.
The rescue operation required three midair refuelings before the choppers landed in North Carolina.
“We made sure they had the appropriate gas they needed for the remainder of the mission to get all the way to the cruise ship and then the tanker stays with them so if they need more gas they can get it,” rescue mission commander Lt. Col. Dave Underwood tells Inside Edition.
Aiden was rushed to the hospital where he is currently recovering.
Angela says she is grateful to the pilots and crew who saved her son.
Angela set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical bills.
