Air Force Academy cadet saves a life

A United States Air Force Academy cadet saved the life of a man in a fiery car accident.

It happened on June 9 in Washington, D.C.

The Academy says Christopher Kirk, of Burlington, Iowa, has just finished his third year at the Academy, and was attending a 5-week internship at the Pentagon.

The Academy says Cadet Kirk was driving back to his room when a Dodge Charger sped past him at about 100 mph. That’s when Kirk says he saw what looked like an explosion and then saw the crashed Charger engulfed in flames.

“I stopped because I was so close in time and proximity to the accident.” Kirk said. “Just knowing that there is someone in that car.”

Kirk tells the Academy two people started pulling one of the victims of the crash out of the back seat and Kirk was able to grab him under the arms and help get him out. Kirk says the driver and another passenger were still in the car, but they could not get them because of the flames.

Cadet Kirk says he performed first aid and worked to stabilize the victim. Kirk says he was told the man had severe burn wounds but was going to survive.

“You know, you see that stuff in the movies all the time and so actually being involved was pretty foreign and surreal to me,” he added.

Kirk and his fellow Air Force Academy cadets attend basic military training in addition to combat survival training which teaches them to deal with stress and perform basic medical care.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” said the cadet. “I did what I thought anyone else would do and tried to keep calm and keep my bearing and let the training take over.”