INSIDE EDITION spoke with Edwin Lamair who was caught in an avalanche while skiing in Colorado.
It started out as a breathtaking back country ski trip down a Vail, Colorado mountain, until an avalanche happened.
Avid skier Davis Lamair saw an avalanche in the distance and knows his brother, Edwin was just there.
In a video that the brothers took, Davis said, "Is that an avalanche? Holy [expletive], that's Edwin in an avalanche."
He rushed down the mountain not knowing if he'll be able to find his brother alive and then captured an incredible sight with the camera.
His brother was buried up to his head in snow and could barely breathe. Davis frantically dug him out and saved his life.
INSIDE EDITION’s Paul Boyd spoke that trapped skier via Skype.
Boyd asked, “What were you thinking as the avalanche swept you up?”
Edwin said, “As I was sliding, I was definitely panicking, couldn't believe what was happening. I felt like I was flying and then I landing. As I was deep under the snow I just had a panic attack as one would have who was drowning.”
Edwin said he felt like he was encased in cement. He couldn't move.
Boyd asked, “As you see your brother approaching, what were you thinking?”
Edwin said, “I was just thanking the Lord that he got there so quickly and I’m going to be able to get out of this.”
Edwin said there's one piece of safety equipment he won't forget on his next trip. “Next season, I would bring one of those avalanche airbags,” he said.
INSIDE EDITION’s Lisa Guerrero demonstrated an avalanche airbag. She said, “ It feels light, like you don't feel anything on you.”
In the demonstration, the University of Utah’s mountain medicine program showed Guerrero how their team responds to a trapped skier wearing a lifesaving avalanche airbag. The balloon prevents the skier from being crushed under the snow.
Boyd said, “Fair to say that for the rest of your life, your brother will be saying, ‘You owe me one.’”
Edwin said, “He'll have that on me for my whole life but he knows I'll do the same for him.”
