CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It has been a year since beloved meteorologist Larry Sprinkle survived a harrowing car wreck.
Sprinkle has always said he is beyond grateful for the paramedics and firefighters that came to his rescue after a devastating crash on 485.
"It was a moment that changed everything about my life," Sprinkle said.
Now, everyone's favorite weather guy is doing his best to say thank you.
"The dashboard was on my chest," Sprinkle explained, recalling the details of the crash.
That took a team of rescuers from Ballantyne's Fire Station 32 to get him free. One of the workers that helped remembers it vividly, even a year later.
"It was literally crushed down on top of him," said Pete Baretsky.
Larry knew it was bad, too.
"I said, 'you guys are gonna have to use the jaws of life on me!" Sprinkle exclaimed.
Emergency workers did all of that, but they did something even more precious to Larry. They showed him kindness and gave him hope in his darkest hour.
"He was having the worst day of his life and we only have one chance to make a difference, and apparently we did it right that day," Baretsky remembered.
He was at Larry's side the whole time, including when Sprinkle asked him if he'd come with him to the hospital.
On Tuesday, Larry came to them, at Fire Station 32, to say thank you.
They're chowing down and swapping stories about saving lives...@larrywcnc says the guys stayed w/ him all the way. @charlottefire pic.twitter.com/TMTctBCPRn
— MichelleBoudin (@MichelleBoudin) May 9, 2017
"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be standing here today," he said.
Sprinkle surprised the firefighters with a huge lunch spread.
"You don't get thanked enough," he said. "Hopefully, you're hungry."
Now, a year later, Baretsky says Larry looks good after being in very different shape.
"Thank you all, thank God for you all, I will forever be indebted to you guys," Sprinkle said.
