Florida Man Nicknamed ‘Chainsaw’ Tells CNN’s Acosta About Daring Hurricane Rescue: ‘Lost My Boat…But I Saved 3 Guys, It Was Worth It’

Sarah RumpfOct 2nd, 2022, 5:44 pm
 

CNN Newsroom anchor Jim Acosta is in Fort Myers, Florida reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, and interviewed a man who was able to rescue three people during the storm, but his sailboat was destroyed in the process.

Acosta began the segment by commenting that the current death toll was 74 but expected to go higher, with many Floridians still without electricity or running water, and countless homes and businesses destroyed.

He introduced Doug McGill: “His friends call him ‘Chainsaw,’ which means we’re not going to mess with Chainsaw here, but we’re gonna get his story — he’s been helping people out of this situation, rescuing people with his sailboat.”

McGill told Acosta how he was on his 38-foot sailboat in the middle of the storm, one of just two boats left standing, describing how he had to cut his boat loose from the pier and saw three men trapped inside a restaurant trying to climb out of a second-story window.

“It was just about underwater, and they were trapped inside. I got them out of the other side and they were done,” said McGill. “Got them on the boat.”

According to McGill, the men were “lying limp,” and nothing is left of the building now — it was completely washed away by the hurricane — but it did provide a temporary barrier as the wind picked up. He attempted to drop his anchor in some debris, hoping it would help keep them from being pulled out to sea.

Eventually, however, the storm surge lifted his boat onto the road, McGill said, telling Acosta how the water level had climbed over 12 to 14 feet above where they were standing at that moment.

“I just want to point out because right now we’re showing our viewers, that is your sailboat in the middle of the road right there,” said Acosta, as the camera panned to show the wreckage of McGill’s boat tipped over on its side.

“Can you believe that all of you are still standing here alive, right now?” asked Acosta.

“They’re still thanking me,” McGill said about the men he rescued. “Being at the right spot at the right time. I lost my boat and I lost everything I had. But I saved three guys; it was worth it.” He added that the their kids were “doing a GoFundMe to help me get a boat again,” but he was really “just happy to be here.”

“It is tough,” said Acosta, thanking him for the interview and “for saving these folks here, and folks you didn’t even know, they were just strangers.”

“In the right place at the right time,” replied McGill. “It just happened.”

“Life just happens and we hear that time and again, from people in this area,” said Acosta. “And thanks to the kindness of strangers you have people who are standing here walking and talking and breathing alive today. Because of folks like Chainsaw here who were able to jump to the rescue and just help people who were in need at that moment.”

Watch above via CNN.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.