Reel life imitates real life for local man
By Nicole LeBlanc
For some, "The Guardian" will be a movie experience

that takes them into the gaping jaws of a white capped ocean. For others - for men like Ashburnham-native Jason Quinn - the movie is about a life that is their own.

"In the eye of the storm with lives on the line, you discover what you're made of," says a tagline for "The Guardian," which hits theaters on Friday, Sept. 29. Starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher, the film centers on the fictitious characters Ben Randall (Costner) - a legendary rescue swimmer who is teaching at a Coast Guard "A" school - and Jake Fischer (Kutcher) - an overconfident young man who's about to learn that he's in for the lesson of a lifetime. The Coast Guard training is intense, but it's Fischer's first solo mission in Kodiak, Alaska that turns the necessity of preparation into a bitter reality - a reality that lies in the frigid waters of the Bering Sea.

According to "The Guardian" production notes, "The film was created with the Coast Guard's full cooperation, utilizing true-life rescue heroes as advisors and as part of the cast." It is this rendering of the Coast Guard rescue swimmer's experiences - as well as the surprisingly similar details and rescue location - that has caused more than one local resident to wonder if the movie was based on Quinn.

On Oct. 20, 2002, while flying out of Cold Bay, Alaska, Quinn and several other Coast Guard members received word that the Galaxy - a fishing vessel in the Bering Sea - had experienced an explosion and that there were 26 people in the water.

The waves were 15 to 20 feet high, recalls Quinn, and the wind was fierce. Several men had managed to make it to a life raft but others were stuck on the burning ship. The Coast Guard crew first attempted to hover the helicopter over the ship, but a five to seven foot flame shot from the ship, discouraging their attempts to do so.

"At that point they decided to put me in the water and direct each of the men to jump," wrote Quinn. "Now it was my turn, this was what I had trained for. On the way down to the water, my heart racing, I watched flames shoot out of windows and the paint bubble and fall off the vessel."

Quinn was dropped approximately 30 feet away from the ship. He swam 10 feet closer, watching as the ship lifted so high out of the water that he could see the screws on the bottom of the boat. He motioned for the first sailor to jump and began his rescue of five men who would have otherwise died - a rescue amidst waves that slammed against him, intense fatigue, and a darkening sky.

"He almost lost his own life," his mother, Robin Quinn, of Holt Road.

The flight back to St. Paul was far from restful. Quinn and the flight mechanic performed CPR on one of the victims, while the rest of the crew cared for the other sailors.

"We worked on him for 20 to 30 minutes, until we landed in St. Paul, sweat poring off my face getting in my eyes and burning them," said Quinn.

Despite their best attempts, the victim was declared dead in St. Paul. That night, adrenaline still pumping through his body, Quinn entered the quiet of his home.

Emily Quinn, his wife, said that he was shaking as he told her the story. And as he fell asleep exhausted, she stayed awake feeling terrified. "I don't want to see 'The Guardian',"

she said. "I was balling just to see the preview. He [Jason] was meant to do this. He's strong. But it's scary."

A brave helicopter rescue. Swimming over waves up to 20 feet high and ignoring the screaming muscles in his legs and arms. Towing fishermen through frigid waters and away from a ship that could have crushed him. Remaining strong, not only for himself but for the girl he loves. Quinn lived it.

"You just make it happen," said Quinn. "You do what you have to do at that point in time. It's really just a rush."

"The Guardian" was not based on his rescue mission, but - for those who love him - the resemblance between the two rescues is too close. It's a stark reminder that the ocean is untamed no matter how much training you've had.

For his heroic actions, Quinn was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award and the Distinguished Flying Cross, among other awards.

He is currently stationed in California, where he maintains survival gear on helicopters - when he's not performing rescues.

Quinn considers himself an average guy with perhaps just a bit more flair for adventure than most. He likes to rock climb, jump off rocks, water ski barefoot, and push himself to his physical limit.

"I do anything to get an adrenaline rush," he said.

An Oakmont graduate who lived in Ashburnham until he was 18, Quinn - now 28 - grew up with the woods in his backyard.

"From the time he was a baby, he was swimming," Robin Quinn, said. "He used to build forts behind the house with his buddies. He's just a country boy."

In 1999, propelled by a desire to save people and to avoid being cooped up in a college classroom, Quinn joined the Coast Guard, following in the footsteps of some of his father's relatives. With that came rigorous boot camp, various levels of training, and - most importantly - his wife of 7 years.

"I met Emily when we were in the Honor Guard in Washington DC," Quinn said. "I got one look at her, and I said, 'She's a hotty!'"

Emily had been a member of the Coast Guard as well, but she gave up one adventure for another - raising their three daughters. Her understanding of what her husband does, however, will always haunt her.

"I think I'm more worried, because I know," she said. "I've seen it."

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Nicole LeBlanc is a 2005 graduate of Eastern Nazarene College, in Quincy. She is living in Templeton.