Hunter Hupp told reporters his mom wanted to meet Tom Brady during a Christmas trip to Florida.
Boy, did she get close.
Thursday evening Hupp and his parents took a helicopter trip to the beaches of Davis Islands, a group of two islands in Tampa Bay.
According to this report by Greg Auman of Fox Sports, around 200 yards off the coast the pilot had to make an emergency landing in the water after the group heard a loud noise in the rotor. Here’s more:
Hupp’s parents, Wes and Lisa, made it out of the helicopter as it took on water, as had the pilot, but Hupp was the last one out, unable to free himself for about a minute before getting out and to the surface. The four of them floated together, only inches of the helicopter showing above the water, contemplating whether to wait for help or try to swim to land while fully clothed, then almost immediately saw two men on jet skis approaching.
One of them, as confirmed by a source close to the Buccaneers, was Tampa Bay backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who lives on Davis Island and was part of the rescue effort. Hupp said the two men helped his father up on one jet ski and he and his mother on the other, staying with them and coordinating how to bring back more people than the jet skis were meant to carry.
“They slowly brought us back to the shore, a sandy beach near the yacht club, and hung out for a while, were really nice,” Hupp said. “We exchanged pleasantries upon reaching flat ground. They were really an asset to helping us out, because we were the only ones out there for a while. It was a handshake and a huge and ‘Thank you so much.’ They went out for a nice afternoon ride and just happened to come upon a stranded helicopter family.”
Gabbert, a product of the University of Missouri, is currently in his 12th NFL season. He reportedly has a home in Davis Islands, as does teammate Tom Brady.
Wild story from a 49ers legend.