By rescuing a man from a submerged vehicle, Bryan Celano did exactly what he was trained to do: save lives.
Celano, a certified EMT and a criminal justice major at Grand Valley State University was driving home on M-45 at around 12:30 a.m. on April 6 when he was flagged down by a wet and wounded Charles Denman.

Swerving to avoid deer, Denman lost control of his vehicle on 136 Avenue near M-45, which landed upside down in an irrigation creek. With the car filling with water, Denman struggled but managed to escape the car out of the shattered rear window.

However his friend Joel Apol, who was not wearing a seat belt, was knocked unconscious and remained trapped in the car.

“I start crying, and I pray and yell out to God, ‘God help us, God help us,’” Denman said. “God in heaven please. I don’t want to die tonight. Then I start to think, my friend’s about to die. Either I get out or I drown trying to get out.”

Celano followed Denman to the scene, and once Celano arrived he gave Denman a phone to call 911. Celano grabbed a tire iron and a screwdriver from his truck and plunged into what he said felt like 40-degree water.

With the windows and doors fully submerged, Celano could not break the passenger door window to reach Apol, who both Celano and Denman were not sure was still alive.

Luckily, Apol landed with his head in an air pocket and the rest of his body under water.

Celano managed to get the driver side door open, and he pulled Apol out of the car by his ankles. Celano carried Apol out of the water and to the shore. The ambulance arrived to the scene a short time after Apol was out of the car.

“In a normal situation, you don’t want to pull anyone out of a car that has been crashed,” Celano said.

“But since it’s life over limb, he had to get out of the car before he drowned or hypothermia set in.”
Celano credits his training with how he responded to the situation.

“It made me think through the different situations and decide what was best,” Celano said. “It definitely helped with stress and how to handle yourself in that situation.”

Besides the fact that Apol happened to land in an air pocket, Celano and Denman both said many things happened in their favor that morning.

“It was all God’s blessing that all that worked out,” Celano said. “Sometimes I can get home from (GVSU) without seeing another car on the road.”

For Denman, the event was so incredible that he said he thinks divine intervention saved him and Apol and brought Celano to the scene.

“I remember crying on the way to the hospital and looking up at the sky and saying, ‘God does exist,’” Denman said. “You talk about miracles that happen throughout the world, and I don’t know it’s just crazy. There are people out there that think there isn’t a God. I just don’t know how you say that.”

Both Apol and Denman said they are forever grateful of Celano and how he handled the situation, and although Apol does not remember the event, he is grateful to still be alive.

Apol and Denman have since met up with Celano for lunch and are now friends with each other on Facebook. Looking at the situation, Denman said people need to recognize and try to emulate everyday heroes like Celano.

“How are you going to respond? You never know until a situation hits you like that,” Denman said. “In my heart, I hope they respond like Bryan did because every second counts, and it can determine whether somebody lives or somebody dies.”

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