College Basketball Players Rescue Drivers After Sinkhole Swallows Vehicles

University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball players jumped into action to help after a sudden sinkhole opened up at an Omaha intersection.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 7:47am

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A pair of University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball players, Esra Kurban and Olivia Borsutzki, jumped into action to rescue the drivers of two vehicles that were swallowed by a sudden sinkhole that opened up at an Omaha intersection. The players saw the vehicles fall into the sinkhole and immediately pulled over to help, with Borsutzki grabbing the driver of the SUV by the belt to pull him to safety. Neither driver was injured in the incident.

Why it matters

The quick thinking and bravery of the college basketball players highlights the importance of being willing to help others in emergency situations, even when others are hesitant to act. Their actions likely saved the lives of the drivers involved.

The details

A red SUV and a gray pickup truck were waiting at a red light in Omaha when the road suddenly collapsed, causing both vehicles to fall into the sinkhole. The driver of the pickup truck was able to get out of his vehicle, but the status of the SUV driver was initially unknown. Seeing the danger, Esra Kurban and Olivia Borsutzki, members of the University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball team, jumped into action and pulled the SUV driver to safety.

  • The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 28, 2026.

The players

Esra Kurban

A member of the University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball team who helped rescue the driver of the SUV that fell into the sinkhole.

Olivia Borsutzki

A member of the University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball team who helped rescue the driver of the SUV that fell into the sinkhole.

Officer Sarah Martier

An Omaha police spokesperson who praised the bystanders for their quick action in providing help.

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What they’re saying

“I thought it was an accident, and then I saw a man next to the car and was like, 'Oh, the cars are actually in the ground,'”

— Olivia Borsutzki, University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball player

“I pulled over and was like, 'We need to help.' Nobody was helping. People had their cell phones out, driving past, they didn't do anything. I was like, 'Esra, we gotta do something. I don't know what we're doing, but we gotta do something.'”

— Olivia Borsutzki, University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball player

“I didn't even know a road could go down. I was shocked to see it. But fortunately, everything turned out to be fine after that.”

— Esra Kurban, University of Nebraska Omaha women's basketball player

“We are grateful to them for jumping into action and quickly providing help.”

— Officer Sarah Martier, Omaha police spokesperson

The takeaway

The quick thinking and bravery of the college basketball players in this incident serves as an inspiring example of the importance of being willing to help others in emergency situations, even when others may be hesitant to act. Their actions likely saved the lives of the drivers involved and highlight the positive impact that can come from stepping up to assist those in need.