MIAMI (AP) — A 17-year-old high school senior was on her way to a ride-along with firefighters when she saw a man sprawled on the road next to a crashed motorcycle.
The Miami Herald reports Thalia Rodriguez stopped her car early Sunday morning and saw the man was bleeding profusely and had lost one leg and most of the other. Rodriguez says her first responder training kicked in.
She and another driver who stopped put a tourniquet on his leg to stop the bleeding. Doctors say that likely saved the life of off-duty Miami-Dade police Maj. Ricky Carter. Rodriguez is in her school's health sciences program and a fire cadet for the city of Hialeah.
On Tuesday, Miami-Dade schools superintendent honored her for her actions.
Carter is recovering from severe injuries.