ORLANDO, Fla. – Edward Dahl, of Deltona, isn't a man of many words, but kept saying two words over and over again
On Tuesday afternoon while meeting three strangers, now friends, who helped saved his life Friday.
"Thank you. Thank you," he said.
Dahl was behind the wheel of his pickup truck around 7:30 a.m. Friday on his way to work when he said he suffered a medical episode and blacked out.
Witnesses saw his truck, at normal speed, cross through six lanes of traffic on Semoran Boulevard into oncoming traffic and turn right into a retention pond at Lee Vista Boulevard.
"I don't remember much," Dahl said about the incident Tuesday. "I saw it on the news afterwards and realized, 'Hey that's my truck.'"
A group of cyclists were nearby recording video as three strangers jumped in to help.
The video shows the sinking truck and three people pulling Dahl out of his window, which was fortunately rolled down. It then shows others jump in to pull Dahl to shore.
His skin was pale almost blue, and he was barely responsive.
On Tuesday, Dahl got to meet the three who first went in: GOAA employee Marcio Cicarini, Hyatt Regency at OIA employee Eva Delgado and former Venezuelan Marine Captain, Licurgo Leal.
"I'm very grateful to everybody. I wouldn't be here to see them, my family, your family without you guys," he said barely holding back tears.
Cicarini also cried when he saw Dahl alive and well.
"We were all worried about you," Cicarini told Dahl. "Sorry I get emotional."
"I know the feeling," Dahl replied.