Hero Lakeland teen helps save accident victim's life

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - A 17-year-old guy - who just happened to be in the right place at the right time - helped save a man's life after a devastating motorcycle crash.

When Adam Virk's bike collided with an RV that had gone through a red light, Virk blacked out.

He had no idea that Jacob Phillippi, a student at Kathleen High's Sports Medicine Academy, worked furiously with an off-duty Lakeland police officer to save his life.

"When I found out it was him, it just made me happier, prouder that a young person would do that for somebody," said Virk.

Virk was driving north on Kathleen Road a few months ago when investigators say an RV blew through a red light at Sleepy Hill Road, and the two vehicles collided.

"I knew I was going to stop right away when I saw the severity of [Virk] laying on the ground," Phillippi told FOX 13.

Virk was bleeding, had a broken arm, broken collarbone, broken ribs and was about to go into shock.

Phillippi and the off-duty officer were able to stabilize him until he could be taken to the hospital.

"Take it or leave it, you're a hero," Virk's wife, Jane told Phillippi. "You saved my husband's life."

Ironically, Phillipi came across the crash by chance. He was on his way to a basketball game at school but was running an hour late. If he was on time, he would have never seen it.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is going to honor Phillippi during a ceremony Monday.