Imagine waking up on a Saturday morning, scrolling through Facebook, and discovering a family stranded on a mountain in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Thousands of people were sharing the post, but no one seemed to know how to help. Enter Jordan Seidhom, former head of Chesterfield County’s narcotics unit and a man who knows a thing or two about finding people in tough situations. But this time, Seidhom had something most others didn’t—a helicopter.
What followed was a series of events straight out of a Hollywood script. With little hesitation, Seidhom loaded up his chopper with bottled water and food, grabbed his high school junior son, and headed for the mountains. The former law enforcement officer turned volunteer firefighter wasn’t about to sit on the sidelines while people were in danger.
When Jordan Seidhom woke up Saturday morning, he saw a Facebook post that tens of thousands of people were commenting on and sharing. A family was stranded on a mountain in Banner Elk, North Carolina.https://t.co/R1tUaVENyM pic.twitter.com/c1lqq1MEfC
— WAVY TV 10 (@WAVY_News) October 2, 2024
The Seidhoms navigated through North Carolina’s rugged terrain, landing first at a nearby airport to coordinate with local authorities. After dropping off supplies for a family in need, Seidhom and his son went on to rescue two women stranded on the mountain. These women were out of food, water, and power—essentially cut off from civilization. The Seidhoms brought them to safety, flying them directly to Charlotte-Douglas Airport, where they were able to catch flights home.
But that was just the beginning. As the day wore on, Seidhom was flooded with calls, texts, and desperate messages from people pleading for help. One woman’s voicemail stood out, as her voice broke while she explained she hadn’t heard from her parents in over a day. “You could hear the desperation,” Seidhom recalled, realizing that despite having already saved four people, there were countless others still stranded in the mountains.
The duo set out again the next morning, flying over flooded rivers and damaged homes. At one point, Seidhom’s son spotted a woman frantically waving for help. After a careful landing on a crumbling driveway, Seidhom whisked her away to safety, returning minutes later to rescue her husband. But just as he was gearing up for another mission, Seidhom’s efforts were suddenly blocked by a local fire official who threatened him with arrest for “interfering with operations.”
Yes, you read that right. After coordinating with multiple first responders, Seidhom was shockingly told by a fire chief that he was no longer welcome in the area—despite having just saved lives. Even after explaining that his son and another victim were still stranded on the mountain, the official refused to budge, ordering him to leave or face arrest. Seidhom reluctantly complied, leaving the woman’s husband stranded despite a three-minute flight being all that stood between him and safety.
Jordan Seidhom was reportedly threatened with arrest for flying his personal helicopter to save Hurricane victims in Lake Lure, N. Carolina & forced by the fire chief to leave a man stranded alone after he rescued the man’s wife. https://t.co/BlEYv8Pm0K
— One Nation Under A Meme ❤ (@dontfearthameme) October 2, 2024
The frustration in Seidhom’s voice was palpable. He knew that by following the order, more lives were put at risk. As he flew away from the area, they could see more people waving for help—people they couldn’t save because of a bureaucracy that decided his rescue efforts weren’t needed. Seidhom later reflected, “I felt terrible… if I had to do it over again, I would have rescued as many people as I could until they decided they were going to arrest me.”
This real-life hero faced unimaginable choices, but what’s clear is that his dedication to helping those in need—despite the obstacles thrown in his way—is a story that won’t soon be forgotten.
