City leaders honored a Geneseo farmer for his life-saving actions after a helicopter crash.
On August 5, 2015, Robert Broadbent was working in his soy bean field near Atkinson, Illinois, when he saw the helicopter crash and burst into flames. Broadbent was able to pull the pilot, Marion Turpin, from the wreckage, and then mowed a path through the field for emergency crews to reach him.
“I just tried to do what I knew I had to do, and I didn’t question it. You just do it. That’s all there is to it,” said Broadbent.
Turpin was airlifted to a Peoria hospital in critical condition.
More than a month after the crash, Turpin remains hospitalized in Springfield, Illinois. A hospital spokesperson said he is now in “fair condition,” which means vital signs are stable, and the patient is conscious but may be uncomfortable.
On Tuesday, the Geneseo City Council presented Broadbent with a proclamation for his quick action, calling it a “selfless act of bravery.”
“How many of us could run into a burning crash site to save someone? How many people could keep their emotions in check to help someone out? I feel, personally, that kind of heroism needs to be addressed,” said alderman Martin Rothschild.
Broadbent received a standing ovation after the proclamation, and said it felt nice to be recognized. He says the best reward, though, comes from weekly updates from Turpin’s wife.
“I think the biggest, best part is that he’s out of the intensive care unit and he’s in the burn clinic, so he’s at a point, I think, where he’ll be able to survive and go on with life. That’s what’s really comforting and makes me feel good,” said Broadbent.
There is still no official word on what caused the helicopter to crash.