Mark Harmon, known as Leroy Jethro Gibbs to almost everyone, is an extremely dedicated person and a man of action on screen as well as in real life. He was chosen as “The Sexiest Man Alive” by People Magazine, but as a man of few words, he never mentioned it. Many know him as the loyal husband of Pam Dawber for 30 years now.
However, many people still don’t know that this TV star has played a hero in real life when he saved one teenager’s life from a burning car by pulling him out of it in front of his home in Brentwood.
Mark Harmon saved Colin Specht’s life 17 years ago, in January 1996. Colin was then a 16-year-old teenager who was riding in a car together with his friend who was driving the car way too fast and hit the brakes when it was too late. The car struck a brick wall and it was the side of the car where Colin Specht was sitting. The car caught on fire and his friend was able to quickly escape, while Colin was trapped in it, unable to move.
Specht remembers how someone broke the window of the car with a sledgehammer and pulled him out of it. He then said that people started to roll him down the street because his clothes were burning. He has suffered burns from third degree and was in the hospital for months.
Later he learned that the person who saved his life was the actor Mark Harmon and the accident happened in front of his house on Bristol Avenue.
“I owe everything to him. Everything in my life. I have no doubt that I would not be alive without his help,” said Specht.
At the time, Harmon did not say anything about the accident and he still refuses to speak about it and take credit for his heroic action even today.
“I won’t take credit for it, because if the car explodes and I’m there next to the car, then you’re talking about two young boys who don’t have a father,” said Harmon. “And you’d be doing this interview with my wife and talking about how stupid it was.”
However, Specht who still remembers the incident and has tattoos on his body to cover up the deep scars; says that he will be forever grateful to him for saving his life. Specht is aware that a person like Mark had much more to lose because he had an acting career that depended mainly on his looks and also had a wife and two beautiful, young children.
Specht now works as a personal trainer and is taking care of his health and well-being. He is grateful that he was given a second chance and he is enjoying his life and appreciates every moment.
