Man who tried to save friend from fiery crash in Minneapolis has been hailed as a hero

MINNEAPOLIS— Those closest to Jon Seas admire his drive to help others on and off the field.

“Jon really showed no fear,” Pete Heryla said

It’s been a tough road to recovery for Seas after losing his friend Cole Thompson in a horrific crash in Minneapolis.

According to investigators, Thompson and Seas were drinking at a party and decided not to drive under the influence. Instead, they got into 19-year-old Mackenzie Lene’s car.

What they thought was a safe ride home ended in a fiery wreck. The driver ran away, leaving the two young men to their fate.

“He clearly had enough fight in him to try to save his friend and he has enough fight in him to get through this,” said Herod III, a family friend.

With more skin graft surgeries and therapies on the horizon, his family says he is making great progress, including being able to move from his hospital bed to a chair nearby.

“For the first time he was able to stand up and embrace his father,” said Herod III.

Seas was also able to see Cole’s father, Kristopher Thomson.

“He’s a hero to me, he tried to save our son,” Kristopher said.

Although the past month has been a nightmare, Kristopher is forever grateful for the courage Seas showed.

“I told him he won’t be able to get rid of me now, he has gained another father figure,” he said.

It will be a while before Seas is released from the hospital, but family and friends say he is determined to get stronger every day.