Rock legend Sammy Hagar donates $10k to boy injured in Huntington Beach helicopter crash
Rock music legend Sammy Hagar has donated $10,000 to a 12-year-old boy who was injured when a helicopter crashed on him in Huntington Beach in October.
Oliver Holland was one of five people who were hospitalized when a Bell 222 helicopter plummeted from the sky and slammed into a pedestrian bridge over the Pacific Coast Highway back on Oct. 11, 2025. He's still recovering after he was trapped under the wreckage and left with serious injuries that included a collapsed lung and brain bleed.
Family members say he's rapidly recovering, but the path to a full recovery continues.
"It's been amazing. He's just recovered, like everything is back to normal," said Holland's sister, Madeline Ashwell. "He's just a normal kid. He's like the little brother I had even before the accident, and the accident's just in the past, and we're just moving forward."
On Saturday, Holland and his family spoke with Hagar from Cabo Wabo in Huntington Beach, one of his several restaurants, after he and his family were gifted with the donation, which came after the rocker heard Holland's story.
Though he had no specifications on what Holland should do with the money, Hagar joked that he shouldn't spend it all on candy. Holland told the legend that he hopes to be an engineer one day during their conversation, which was full of hope and support for his family.
"I'm just in shock because so many people care about my brother," Ashwell said. "I love my brother, and I just see all this love for him and I'm so happy."
She said that the money will be saved and used for Holland's college fund.
Hagar, who lives in Orange County, is known for his vastly successful rock music career that began in the 1970s. He reached fame both as a solo artist and as the lead singer of bands Montrose and Van Halen. On top of his musical talents, Hagar also founded a nonprofit organization called the Hagar Family Foundation, which helps children and supports families in need across the country.
