MT. MORRIS TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Mark Chase is certain he would have died Wednesday if it wasn't for the efforts of eight men who came to his rescue after his car flipped into a water-filled ditch.

“I know I’m lucky,” said Chase, who was released from the hospital Wednesday night with only scrapes and bruises. “I thought I was going to die because I couldn’t get any air in. ... If it wasn’t for them guys I would have not made it.”

Chase, 48, of Flushing Township was eastbound on Coldwater Road about 2:30 p.m. when his truck was t-boned by a vehicle going southbound on Webster Road that failed to stop at a stop sign, police said.

The impact flipped the truck onto its side in a ditch, leaving Chase struggling to breathe as he held his neck up to prevent his face from submerging in water in the ditch.

Gary Romanowski, 62, of Davison Township, was at a nearby bar when everyone inside heard a loud bang from the road.

He and five other men there ran outside to find Chase’s truck lying on its side in the ditch.

He and three others tried lifting the truck before others joined the effort, eventually flipping the truck back onto its wheels.

“We just did what we hope anyone would do for us,” said Romanowski, who said he didn’t consider the effort heroic.

John Barlow, 47, of Mt. Morris Township and Shawn Miller, 26, of Flushing who work for JB’s Tree and Yard Services were on their way home when they stopped to help the rescue effort.

The group was trying to put large rocks and other items under the truck to keep it off the ground and help Chase breathe, but the rocks just sank into the wet, soft ground.

Chase said he could hear Barlow telling the men that they needed to get the truck on its tires and they need to do it quickly.

With every push to rock the truck upright Chase was able to suck in some air, but every time the truck came down again, Chase said he was unable to breathe again.

The efforts of the eight men together uprighted the truck in less than a minute, but Chase remained trapped for another 10 minutes before firefighters were able to free him.

It wasn’t until the truck was upright that Barlow realized the driver was Chase, who he has known for more than 20 years.

“It was very intense,” said Barlow. “It was a joint effort. There was no way two or three people could have done that.”

Among the rescuers were Bob Newvine, 59, of Mt. Morris Township, Mike St. John, 51, of Mt. Morris Township, Gordon Misener, 67, of Mt. Morris Township, Cliff Most, owner of Little Cliff’s Corner, and Rick Nowland.

Chase said he is thankful to each and everyone who helped him.

“It took everybody,” said Misener. “Everybody grabbed on to (the truck) and gave it a heave-ho.”