Teen, grandfather found pilot who ejected from jet in woods
By Joe Callahan
Staff writer
Published: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 6:30 a.m.
SALT SPRINGS - Brandon Coon was raking leaves at his grandfather's home Sunday evening when he saw that a passing military jet was in trouble.
The teenager ran to get his grandfather, Gerald Sherrer, 59, and the two jumped into a pickup truck and raced toward the area where the plane had disappeared.
At the end of Northeast 77th Street, where it meets State Road 19, Brandon spotted a plume of smoke. Then he saw the pilot drifting toward the ground in a parachute.
The pilot appeared motionless, his chin drooped against his chest, as the wind began carrying him west of SR 19.
Sherrer told Brandon to keep an eye on the pilot. They turned west on Forest Road 46, which used to be called Forest Road 10, and drove down the clay road until Brandon lost sight of the pilot.
The pair walked 100 yards and found Marine Corps Capt. Jarrod L. Klement, 29, who was still in his parachute harness. He was alive and alert. "Who are you?" Klement asked them. Brandon and Sherrer helped Klement back to the pickup, where the pilot sat down on the tailgate and called his wife to let her know he was OK.
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