Man hailed a hero after lifting vehicle to save Florida trooper's life
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kenny Franklin, who is being hailed as a hero after lifting up a vehicle to save a trooper's life. (Fox 13 Tampa)
Kenny Franklin's trip to work Thursday took an unexpected turn.
He requested an Uber driver, and he was off and running. Then, he says, his driver suffered a seizure while at the wheel on I-4 near I-275.
"His foot is accelerating on the gas, and instantly, I'm in the back seat wondering, 'Okay, my life is pretty much over at this point,'" explained Franklin.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He was able to safely get the car to the side of the road. Franklin says that's when the driver awoke in a panic.
"He didn't know where he was at, so he tried to put the car into a gear, and so he's fumbling with the car," said Franklin.
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Jack Hypes. (Fox 13 Tampa)
He jumped out of the car, and behind them was a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper, Jack Hypes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He starts walking up towards me, to assist and assess the situation," explained Franklin. "As he does that, the drivermistakenly puts the car in reverse and hits the officer."
Hypes was pinned under the vehicle.
"Adrenaline was racing," said Franklin of his reaction to the situation. "Your heart, you know, is going a million miles an hour, and all you're thinking about at that time is this, this needs to end well."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With so much adrenaline, Franklin was able to lift the vehicle off of Hypes. He suffered non-life threatening injuries.