Rescued by Guardian Angels in Flak Jackets

MCAS Miramar Marines come to the aid of an injured hiker

 Justice Beauregard and Joshua Rucker had the afternoon all planned out. The Marine Lance Corporals wanted to make sure they were in fighting form so they put on all their gear and went for a hike from Lake Poway to Mount Woodson.

“ We were just getting a good workout. I'm training for a deployment coming up so I was getting ready for that,” Beauregard said. 

That training plan quickly changed to a rescue mission when they approached a frantic woman on the trail. She told them her friend had broken her foot and was stuck in a remote area inaccessible by All Terrain Vehicles.

"We both jumped into action and went up the mountain to see what happened.” Rucker said.  

They found Christine Anderson sitting on the ground nursing her injured foot. That’s when Beauregard and Rucker’s combat trauma and survival skills took over.

“I told her we were Marines and we were going to help her out.” said Beauregard. “I told her I was going to take a look at her foot to see if it was alright.”

While Beauregard treated Anderson’s injury, Rucker worked on an exit strategy. 

“I knew right away we needed to make something to escort her down the trail,” he said.

Patting his chest he explained how a he made a makeshift stretcher in the middle of nowhere. 

“We use these things right here called flak jackets. We took down two branches laid the jackets on top of them and carried her down.”

They got help along the way from 1st Lt. Dwight Silva who was hiking the same trail with a friend. The good samaritans loaded Anderson onto a park ranger’s vehicle. Minutes later she was off to the hospital. The team effort  was an answer to the prayers of two worried friends.

“They just kept calling us angels.” Rucker said.

Both men are a little embarrassed by all the attention they’re getting.  As Beauregard explained they weren’t being heroic, they were simply living up to their title of United States Marine.

“That’s just how we think. We see somebody who needs help and get the job done.”

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