VEHICLES
VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CRASH, THEY WILL BE COLLECTING
DATA FROM EACH AND EVERYONE.
>>> THANK YOU.
>> ALEX THEAKER HAS THE STORY
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT GET TO TELL.
HE TELLS A LOT, TO STRANGERS,
HIS WIFE, AND JOURNALISTS .
>> THIS PLACES WILD.
I MEAN, SURROUNDED BY THE
MOUNTAINS, ALL OF THIS NATURE.
>> Reporter: THE CELEBRITIES IN
THE MOUNTAIN TOWN OF CRESTED
BUTTE --
BUTTE --
BUTTE -- >> THIS PLACES LIKE LALA LAND.
>> Reporter: -- ARE NOT THE
ONES WITH FANCY HOUSES OR
GLAMOROUS JOBS.
GLAMOROUS JOBS. >> YES, THIS IS THE FIRST
LANDSCAPING I HAVE DONE ALL
YEAR.
YEAR.
YEAR. >>
YEAR. >> Reporter: THESE CELEBRITIES
COME LESS POLISHED.
>> I AM ACTING NORMAL, PRETEND
YOU ARE DOING YOUR JOB.
>> Reporter: IN CRESTED BUTTE,
FAME IS FOUND IN A MAINTENANCE
MAN.
MAN.
MAN. NAMED ALEX THEAKER.
>> HE HAS A BIG SPIRIT.
>> Reporter: HIS WIFE WATCHED
HIM TURN FROM A NOBODY TO A
SOMEBODY.
SOMEBODY.
SOMEBODY. OVERNIGHT.
OVERNIGHT. >> YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAY OUT.
>> Reporter: HE DOES HAVE ONE
PART OF THIS FAMOUS THING DOWN.
>> AVALANCHE ALEX!
>> Reporter: HIS STAGE NAME
WITH A BACK STORY.
>> I TELL PEOPLE I AM NEW
HERE, I WAS BORN ON MARCH 8th,
ROOFS WERE STACKED, DOORS AND
WINDOWS WERE BURIED.
>> Reporter: THEY HAVE NEVER
SEEN A WINTER LIKE THIS ONE.
>> THERE WAS JUST SO MUCH
CARNAGE EVERYWHERE, LIKE
AVALANCHES AROUND TOWN.
I WAS UP HERE IN THE CRESTED
BUTTE RESIDENTIAL AREA --
>> Reporter: HE WAS TRAVELING
AT THIS HOUSE WHEN HE DID NOT
COME HOME HIS WIFE DROVE TO
FIND HIM.
FIND HIM.
FIND HIM. >> 911, WHAT IS YOUR EMERGENCY
--
--
-- >>
-- >> Reporter: WHAT DID SHE SEE?
>> YOU CANNOT SEE HIM?
>> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. >>
>> NO. >> DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT SLID
FROM THE ROOF?
>> Reporter: BURIED BY AN
AVALANCHE FROM THE ROOF --
>> I AM GOING TO GET HELP
STARTED RIGHT AWAY.
>> Reporter: -- ALEX COULD NOT
ESCAPE.
ESCAPE.
ESCAPE. >> I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG .
>> TO GET POUNDED BY ONE OF
THOSE THINGS, LIKE, THAT IS A
LOT OF SNOW JUMPING ON YOU.
IT SMOTHERED ME AND I WAS
BURIED.
BURIED.
BURIED. YOU ARE IN A COFFIN AND YOU
CANNOT MOVE.
CANNOT MOVE. I HAVE MY HANDS UP BY MY HEAD.
I STARTED MAKING THE AIR POCKET.
AS I WAS MAKING IT I SAW A
CRACK OF LIGHT.
>> Reporter: HE THOUGHT OF HIS
WIFE, FRIENDS WHO DIED, AND
THE RAPPER IN HIS EAR.
>> I HAD THE HIT ALBUM ON MY
iPOD, I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE THAT
PLAYING.
PLAYING.
PLAYING. I ASKED HIM TO HELP.
>> OFFICERS ARE ASKING FOR
AVALANCHE PROBES AND SHOVELS --
>> HE WAS BURIED UNDER THE SNOW
FOR 2 HOURS.
YOU ANTICIPATE IT TO BE A
RECOVERY.
RECOVERY.
RECOVERY. I MEAN, THEY ARE NOT ALIVE.
>> Reporter: HIS RESCUERS SAY
HE WAS TRAPPED UNDER 3-4 FEET
OF SNOW.
OF SNOW.
OF SNOW. >> I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> Reporter: AS MUCH AS HE
SAVIORS HIS NEWFOUND FAME , HE
WISHES HE COULD SHARE IT WITH
THE MAN WHO COULD NOT BE SAVED
FROM A ROOF SLIDE THE NEXT DAY.
>> YES, IT HIT CLOSE TO HOME.
>> WHAT D.C.?
>> Reporter: WHILE THIS LALA
LAND MAY NOT HAVE THE GLITTER
AND GLAM --
>> YOU ARE ON CAMERA --
>> Reporter: -- IT HAS
MIRACLES.
MIRACLES.
MIRACLES. THE CINDERELLA KIND.
THAT GET THE ROOF SHOVELER
RECOGNIZED ON THE STREET.
>> YOU WERE THE GUY WHO ALMOST
DIED, WHEN I NEEDED HIM TO HELP
SHOVEL MY WRIST.
WE GOT A LOT GOING ON IN OUR
HOUSE, AND HE ALMOST DIED IN A
ROOF-A-LANCHE.
ROOF-A-LANCHE. >> I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE
FAMOUS!
FAMOUS!
FAMOUS! >> Reporter: BUT ALEX --
>> ♪ AVALANCHE ALEX ♪
>> Reporter: HE IS LOOKING FOR
GREATNESS . NO STUDIO FOR THIS
ASPIRING RAPPER, YET.
>> ♪ YOU ARE BURIED IN SNOW
FOR TWO AND HALF HOURS YOU TAKE
WHAT YOU CAN GET ♪
>> Reporter: THIS CRESTED BUTTE
CELEBRITY IS ONE-OF-A-KIND.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING, MAN?
>> Reporter: AND MAYBE ONE DAY
HE WILL GET USED TO ALL OF THE
ATTENTION.
ATTENTION. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS.