A man whose Akron, Ohio home was destroyed after a twin-engine plane slammed into it Tuesday, says a last-minute decision to pick up Hot Pockets may have saved his life.
“Really, I guess it was dumb luck,” 38-year-old Jason Bartley told NBC News.
Bartley told the station he was cruising the Internet, planning for an upcoming vacation when he decided to run some errands just after 2 p.m. While he was out, he made a call to swing by a grocery store to pick up pizza and breakfast Hot Pockets.
Approximately 40 minutes after he left his apartment, a Hawker 700 plane slammed into it. The force of the impact destroyed the house in an “instant boom,” according to CNN.
Seven passengers and two crew members died in the crash.
As Bartley made his way back, he noticed plumes of dark smoke and tall flames coming from the area where his apartment was.
Police blocked access to the street so he was told about the plane by another bystander. Bartley lost everything except the clothes he was wearing, his car, and the groceries inside.
Because he had no insurance, friends launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Bartley recuperate costs of his lost belongings. Nearly $3,000 has been raised as of Friday morning.
Bartley told the Akron Beacon Journal he is still dealing with “a lot of shock,” and feels grateful for being alive — thanks to a fluke food craving.
“Everybody feels lucky,” he told the newspaper. “But you never feel this lucky.”
A voice recorder was recovered from the scene and is being analyzed by the National Transportation Safety board.
An investigation remains ongoing into the crash.
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