BURLEIGH COUNTY, N.D. – For Robert Brendel and David Teal, Friday was just like any day on the job site.
They were putting shingles on a new Burleigh County, North Dakota home when Brendel turned off the radio to order more supplies. That's when they heard something.
"All of a sudden I heard somebody screaming for help and I told Robert: 'listen' and heard it again. So, that's when we jumped into action and took off," Teal says.
The pair jumped out of their work truck and went to the shore of the Missouri River, where they found an older man struggling in the water after falling through the ice.
"It was just adrenaline kicked in and just trying to get him out of the river, you know. Fast and out before, you know, more ice broke or anything like that; Get him in, get him warmed up and just call the ambulance," Brendel says.
While Teal called for help, Brendel went into the water after the man, who they later found out was a 96-year-old World War II veteran.
After he was pulled to shore the man told the contracting crew his goal is to live to 100 years old and wasn’t ready to leave just yet.