by Matt Loper - May. 4, 2012 03:20 PM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton awarded three men Friday with the Most Valuable Phoenician award for saving a pilot and passenger whose helicopter crashed into two homes.
Stanton awarded Alan Cottrell, Ron Ponce and Bryan Lifshitz with the award at noon at Phoenix City Hall.
Helicopter crashes into home | 
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One of the men pulled from the helicopter was identified as Mike Brown, a photographer. The helicopter crashed about noon Wednesday in a Phoenix neighborhood near 18th Street and Campbell Avenue. The two injured were hospitalized at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.
Cottrell and Ponce are Phoenix Water Services Department employees. Lifshitz is a resident in the same neighborhood where the helicopter crashed.
Stanton said the city was lucky to have "very brave" city employees and citizens.
"Few of us here have the courage to risk our own lives to save the lives of others," Stanton said.
Stanton asked the three men to speak about their experience to a crowd of about 40 people, who cheered and applauded.
Cottrell thanked the city and his fellow workers. He said he felt unprepared for the speech.
Cottrell described seeing the helicopter flying very low right before it crashed. Cottrell said to his co-worker Ponce, "Man, that guy's low." He described the rescue as a "series of fantastic, shocking events."
Ponce and Cottrell had been working in an alley just south of the crash site when they saw the helicopter go down. They dropped what they were doing and ran to help.
A gate was blocking their way to the helicopter when they got closer to the crash site.
"We were just frantic, trying to get through this gate," Cottrell said. Ponce tried to rip the gate down with his hands.
Cottrell ran back to his car and grabbed a pry bar, which Ponce used to rip the gate open.
Ponce ran to the aid of Brown as Cottrell ran around the back of the house to get to the pilot.
Once they had removed the two victims to safety, Ponce returned to the helicopter to retrieve Brown's camera. Brown was reported to have been confused and asked for his camera several times, even after Ponce had retrieved it.
Ponce spoke briefly, thanking everyone for their support. He said he felt "overwhelmed."
"I was just glad we were there to do this good deed," Ponce said.
Ponce added right before he left the podium, "I love my job."
Lifshitz was at his home when the helicopter crashed in his neighborhood.
Lifshitz thanked his wife and said if it wasn't for her leaving the garage door open, he never would have seen the helicopter as it was falling.
"I was in the right place, at the right time," Lifshitz said.
Lifshitz told his wife to call 911, saying a helicopter had crashed, and rushed to the crash site.
He saw Cottrell and Ponce and began working with them to rescue the two men.
Lifshitz said he remembered thinking, "I hope it doesn't blow up."
Lifshitz said he believed that the pilot turned off the fuel line.
He added, "I'm not a doctor, I hate blood," but said he felt compelled to help those who are injured.
Lifshitz said after the event, he was still jittery when he heard helicopter noises. He added that it took him seven hours to fall asleep the night after the crash as he heard helicopters flying over his house.
"I'm just happy that everyone's OK," he said.
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