It was a dramatic rescue effort that saved the life of a driver who tumbled in his truck 300 feet over the side of the hill.

It happened Thursday morning along Route 56 in Lower Yoder Township. Michael Zeth was on his way to the Seward Power Plant when he lost control of his coal truck, crashed through the guardrails and tumbled down the hillside.

6 news talked with Zeth from his hospital bed on Friday. He described what he could remember.

"I was hanging on to the steering wheel and I'm pretty sure I knew when the truck flipped upside down cause all I could see was dirt going by," said Zeth, who works for Espy Transport. "Then all of a sudden when it come to a stop, I was going backwards and I think that's when my back went through the window in the back. "

Zeth said it was his front right tire that blew, causing him to go over the edge. It's a picture that's still very vivid for him.

"The main thing that I really [remember] is when the tire blew and a big dust cloud hit and all I seen was like the hood going through and part of the guard rail," said Zeth.

It's not surprising that Zeth is pretty sore. He's covered in scrapes and bruises, has three broken bones in his back and a gash on his forehead. He says he's lucky and received some help from up above.

"My brother is a Roman Catholic priest," said Zeth. "So ya, I think he was helping watch out for me that day."

And with Christmas just days away, his girlfriend said she couldn't have a better gift.

"It's my best Christmas present ever. Just having him alive. I don't care how he comes home... we'll recover from it over time," she said. "Hes alive, that's all that matters."

Zeth said everyone has been wonderful to him. His managers from Espy Transport rushed to the ER to be by his side after the accident and his fellow truck drivers have been calling. But he's most thankful to the rescuers who got him out of the truck so fast. Even after everything that happened, Zeth said he'll probably be back on the roads in a couple of months.