Orange County lieutenant who pulled deputy from burning car honored with flight of a lifetime

FOR A LOCAL FIREFIGHTER HAILED AS A HERO. THE ORLANDO FIRE LIEUTENANT JUMPED INTO ACTION WHEN A SEMINOLE COUNTY DEPUTY HAD A CRASH WHICH LED TO A FIRE. YEAH, WESH 2’S DAVE MCDANIEL WAS ON HAND WHEN THE HOMETOWN HERO TOOK OFF WITH THE AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS. WHEN THE THUNDERBIRDS ARE FLYING, IT’S SPELLBINDING. BEFORE AN AFTERNOON PRACTICE, IT WAS PICTURE TIME FOR ORLANDO FIRE LIEUTENANT BENJAMIN WOODSON, THE THIRD. HE WAS OFFERED A FLIGHT AS A HOMETOWN HERO AFTER THE RESCUE OF SEMINOLE COUNTY DEPUTY MATT LUXEN OUT OF HIS BURNING PATROL SUV BACK IN THE SPRING. EVERY NOW AND THEN, ONE OF THOSE OFFERS COME ALONG WHERE YOU JUST GOT TO SAY, YES. HIS HEROIC, HEROIC ACTIONS BACK LAST MARCH. YOU KNOW, HE’S UNBELIEVABLE WHAT HE DID FOR THAT DEPUTY SAVED HIS LIFE OUT OF ALL THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT THE RECOGNITION THAT HE’S BEEN GIVEN. I THINK THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE. THIS IS JUST AN EXTREME HONOR FOR HIM. AND HE WAS BEYOND EXCITED TO, YOU KNOW, GET IN ONE OF THESE PLANES WITH THE THUNDERBIRDS. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, LIEUTENANT WOODSON RETURNED PRETTY WOOZY, BUT FILLED WITH RESPECT. THAT UP THERE IS NOT EASY. I DEFINITELY COMMEND YOU GUYS. I DON’T KNOW IF I WANT TO DO IT AGAIN. I CAN TELL YOU THAT MUCH, AT LEAST NOT WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING. ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT. NONE OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN, WOULD. WITHOUT THE MAN UPSTAIRS A DAY HE’LL CHERISH ONE TRULY UNFORGETTABLE IN SANFORD, DAVE MCDANIEL WESH 2 NEWS. THE AIR SHOW FEATURING THE THUNDERBIRDS WILL BE BOTH DAYS. THIS WEEKEND AT ORLANDO SANFORD INTERNATIONA

When the Thunderbirds are flying, it’s spellbinding. Before an afternoon practice, it was picture time for Orlando fire Lt. Benjamin Wootson III. He was offered a flight as a hometown hero after the rescue of Seminole County Deputy Matt Luxon out of his burning patrol SUV back in the spring.Every now and then, one of those offers comes along, when you just have to say yes. “His heroic actions last March were unbelievable. His heroic actions saved that deputy’s life,” Chris Dirato with the Orlando Air Show said.Sara Wootson is one proud wife.”Out of all the things, the recognition he’s been given, I think this one takes the cake. This is just an extreme honor for him, just more than excited to get into one of these planes with the Thunderbirds,” she said.Related: Air Force Thunderbirds to fly over Central FloridaAfter about an hour, Wootson returned, pretty woozy, but filled with respect. “That up there is not easy, I really commend you guys. I don’t know if I want to do it again, I’ll tell you that much, at least not without proper training. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, definitely appreciate it. None of this would happen without the man upstairs,” Wootson said.A day he’ll cherish, one truly unforgettable.The Thunderbirds will be part of the Orlando Air Show at the Orlando Sanford International Airport. The shows start at noon on both Saturday and Sunday. Top headlines: Man who killed Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor sentenced Air Force Thunderbirds to fly over Central Florida 18-year-old dead after crash involving semi in Volusia County

SANFORD, Fla. —

When the Thunderbirds are flying, it’s spellbinding.

Before an afternoon practice, it was picture time for Orlando fire Lt. Benjamin Wootson III. He was offered a flight as a hometown hero after the rescue of Seminole County Deputy Matt Luxon out of his burning patrol SUV back in the spring.

Every now and then, one of those offers comes along, when you just have to say yes.

“His heroic actions last March were unbelievable. His heroic actions saved that deputy’s life,” Chris Dirato with the Orlando Air Show said.

Sara Wootson is one proud wife.

“Out of all the things, the recognition he’s been given, I think this one takes the cake. This is just an extreme honor for him, just more than excited to get into one of these planes with the Thunderbirds,” she said.

After about an hour, Wootson returned, pretty woozy, but filled with respect.

“That up there is not easy, I really commend you guys. I don’t know if I want to do it again, I’ll tell you that much, at least not without proper training. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, definitely appreciate it. None of this would happen without the man upstairs,” Wootson said.

A day he’ll cherish, one truly unforgettable.

The Thunderbirds will be part of the Orlando Air Show at the Orlando Sanford International Airport. The shows start at noon on both Saturday and Sunday.

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