heartbreaking. that's when we realized, we're in trouble. >> reporter: serious trouble, high winds, gusts up to 30 miles per hour buffeting the helicopter's california highway patrol made four passes before with the precision of the surgeon plucking the boys to safety. >> it was the most challenging i've done in the 12 years i've been in air operations. >> reporter: the challenge lowering harnesses the boys themselves had to put on, and coming back around to have them hook up to be safely carried to a landing zone miles away. >> we lowered the hook a couple of times but the wind would blow out of position and we'd have to again. >> reporter: the harnesses have to be correctly otherwise it's a long fall. father looking below, heartstopping. >> it's my oldest son and that doesn't come back, right? you don't recover from something like that. >> reporter: thankfully only a frightening lesson learned. and that lesson, says austin