Boy struck by plane on California beach speaks out
SAN DIEGO (WPVI) -- The 12-year-old boy hit by a small plane as it made an emergency landing on a crowded California beach last month is talking about his brush with death.
For the first time since a plane crashed into the crowded July 4th beach, 12-year-old Nicholas Baer - who was hit by the wing - is speaking out.
So what was the last thing he remembers after walking int he water?
"I was kind of transitioning to skimboarding and then the plane just came down," said Nicholas.
The single engine plane plummeted from the sky, bouncing into the surf and tumbling across the beach - its wing hitting Nicholas in the head as his terrified friends watched.
"We thought Nick died. We thought the plane was on top of him," said Nicholas' friend, Titus.
Another friend, Carson Scott, added: "Yeah he started to move and then Titus is like 'He's alive, he's alive!'"
The 23-year-old pilot was uninjured, but Nicholas needed help. Shocked bystanders rushed in, holding him steady until paramedics arrived.
"I remember waking up and I'm going to the ambulance and going to the hospital," said Nicholas.
"We really expected them to kinda brush off some sand and give him the stamp of approval and go home that night," recalled his mom, Janis Baer, in a previous press conference.
Despite suffering a concussion and fractured skull bone that required surgery, Nicholas stayed in the hospital for just 4 days.
His recovery has been amazing and his new nickname is "Miracle Dude", something he jokes he could do without.
"I don't really like the name. I'm just another person that just got hit by a plane," he said with a laugh.
In a shot of support, 12 of his buddies shaved their heads as well.
"I was happy that they did it. It doesn't make me feel awkward with my shaved head," he said.
Nicholas says he's happy for friends like this and happy for first responders who worked to keep him alive after the terrifying crash.
"I just want to thank them for, I guess, saving my life," he said.
