Students help rescue man who fell down cliff in Santa Clara County

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Firefighters credit a group of college students, home for the holidays, for helping them rescue a man in Almaden Quicksilver County Park.

The group of eight was driving on Hicks Road, just after 12:30 a.m., next to the Guadalupe Reservoir, when they spotted a man shining a flashlight. They called 911.

Santa Clara County Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Sadler said, "For them to see him flash his light, he was probably 150 yards away from the roadway and they're driving by at maybe 35 miles-per-hour, so incredibly lucky to be found."

Firefighters say the homeless man fell about 10 feet off a cliff, breaking his leg. It took about an hour and a half for them to rescue him and bring him back to an ambulance. He was stable when he was taken to the hospital.

As for the students, they were happy to see the man get the help he needed on a night they'll never forget.

"I hope he's alright. He's 60 years old too. It didn't look too good for him. I just hope he's okay," said student, Sam Miller.