The incident took place as Van Orden was en route to visit family, coinciding with the anniversary of his daughter’s passing. While traveling through Iowa, he saw a minivan crash into a semi-truck on a freeway. He stopped his vehicle and ran toward the scene, witnessing the devastating injuries suffered by one of the crash victims — a young boy named Sawyer Whitt.

Whitt had suffered an arterial bleed in his right wrist and serious calf injuries where both the tibia and fibula were exposed. Van Orden quickly jumped into action. Drawing on his military medic experience, he began administering care alongside other Good Samaritans who had also stopped to help.

Van Orden retrieved socks from his suitcase and asked bystanders if anyone had a knife. With the tool provided, he cut away the child’s seatbelt and clothes to assess the wounds and applied makeshift tourniquets to prevent further blood loss.

Team Effort Helped Save Boy's Life

Others on the scene provided essential assistance. A local farmer helped fashion a splint out of a windshield wiper. Another individual, reportedly a medic, used metal to create an additional tourniquet to help stop the bleeding in Whitt's lower body.

Paramedics reached the scene about 10 to 15 minutes after the crash. Whitt and the minivan’s driver were airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment. Despite the severity of the incident, no deaths were reported, though Whitt had come dangerously close to losing his life.

Speaking about the incident afterward, Van Orden reflected on the urgency of the moment. “I grabbed some socks out of my suitcase to make constricting bands,” he said. He added that he asked someone for a knife, cut away the seatbelts, and created two tourniquets — one for the boy’s leg and another for his arm — to halt the bleeding.

Van Orden Reflects on Moment of Crisis

The congressman emphasized that without swift coordination and effective aid, Whitt might not have survived. Acknowledging the role of others at the crash site, Van Orden remarked, “They were just amazing,” referring to both the paramedics and the bystanders who stepped in to help.

When first responders arrived, Van Orden said their prompt action was “simply heroic.” He commended their professionalism and their ability to take over the boy’s care swiftly. “I'm so proud to be an American right now,” he added.

The crash scene marked only the first part of an emotional journey. Days later, Van Orden paid a visit to Whitt in the hospital. During the visit, he received a heartfelt thank you from both the young boy and his father.

Congressman Shares Emotional Exchange with Father

Van Orden said he told Sawyer, “You're welcome, young man. And you've got a great future ahead of you.” The experience came full circle when speaking to Sawyer’s father, who did not initially know about Van Orden’s personal motivation that day — the memory of his daughter.

Sharing a deeply personal reflection, Van Orden recalled telling the boy’s father, “Our daughter passed two years ago, and I'm very thankful that you don't have to share that experience.” He described the moment as deeply humbling for both families.

No further details have been released concerning the condition of the other driver involved, but officials confirmed that there were no fatalities. Still, the outcome could have been very different had Van Orden and the other individuals not intervened so quickly and decisively.

Combat Experience Played a Key Role

Van Orden’s background as a retired Navy SEAL and trained combat medic proved invaluable in the minutes after the crash. His experience in high-pressure, life-threatening situations enabled him to act quickly and decisively at the scene.

“I’m just incredibly thankful [he survived],” Van Orden said in a statement, making clear he had no hesitation when it came to stepping forward. His training and instinct took over in the emergency, despite his personal grief and the trip’s emotional context.

The actions taken on that Iowa freeway highlighted not just the importance of bystander intervention, but also the unique skills of individuals like Van Orden, whose past experiences made a critical difference. Together with strangers, they turned a potential tragedy into a story of rescue and gratitude.