Video footage by YouTuber Anthony Vella captured the moment he apparently broke his neck and sustained additional injuries after plunging nearly 100 feet from the air while piloting a motorized paraglider.
A video uploaded Saturday to the YouTube channel of Vella, 33, “Paramotor Crash ALMOST Ended My Life,” shows the crash of his motorized paraglider as he flew roughly 48 mph through the air. While it is unclear when the accident took place, Vella revealed the video over to show viewers what occurred and discuss what caused it.
Vella was testing out the BDG Luna 3, a “a reflex paramotor wing for intermediate and advanced pilots,” while in the Enchanted Rock State Park just northwest of Austin, Texas, according to video uploaded to Vella’s YouTube channel. Shortly after takeoff, Vella is recorded gliding through the air and happily shouting he had just hit 48 mph on the motorized backpack.
However, while Vella was recorded checking his phone for his speed, the paramotor wing above him appears to snap him back and twists him in the air, falling roughly between 85 to 100 feet.
“Oh man, 48 miles per hour. Come on, baby! Oh shit!” Vella yells out before dropping to the ground.
The YouTuber could be heard immediately screaming after he made contact with the ground, apparently breaking the frame of the motor backpack. As Vella writhes in pain, he asks Siri to dial 911, eventually reaching a dispatcher, according to the video. Within a few minutes of his crash, two Good Samaritans could be seen coming to Vella’s aid, alerting responding emergency services to his location and helping him call his wife. (RELATED: US Army Helicopter Crashes During Routine Exercise In Washington State: REPORT)
Emergency services arrived roughly 30 minutes after the crash, asking the YouTuber what happened and where he felt pain on his body. Vella’s wife, Leandra, who soon joined the group before her husband was taken to the hospital, appears visibly upset by the accident in the video.
As part of Vella’s upload of the full video, Leandra wrote in the video’s description that Vella suffered from a fractured neck, back, pelvis and shattered right arm, all requiring surgery.
Vella also claimed at the beginning of his video the reason behind the crash was due to a “small tension knot” in the glider which he had missed while checking the wing. Vella emphasized the fault was not on the BDG Luna 3, but that the tension knot — similar to “applying brakes” —was why the accident occurred.
“We have felt the love and support from all of you and will never be able to articulate just how much it means to him, me and our family. Anthony is very excited to get back to his strong and active self. Please subscribe to follow his rehabilitation journey and his first flight back. Thank you again for your continued support,” Leandra posted in the description.