With so many negative stories in the news lately about the relationship between the public and police officers, it's always nice to find a truly heartwarming story about someone going out of their way to help their fellow man.
This week, a Florida teenager named Jamal Rutledge was honored for helping to save the life of Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Franklin Foulks back in September. What's unique about Jamal's story, however, is that he actually saved the life of the officer that was arresting him at that very moment!
In this video, released today by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department in Florida, you can see Rutledge (on the right side of the frame) handcuffed and waiting to be processed for an arrest on charges of probation violation. On the left, Officer Foulks is processing the teenager when he suddenly collapses at the video's 37:55 mark, falling all the way to the floor.
In a statement released by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, it says that Jamal "immediately began to kick the security fence and yell to alert officers in the area."
As you can see in the video, Rutledge does, in fact, check on the fallen officer quickly before making his way to the fence to get someone's attention. Jamal's quick thinking worked perfectly and likely saved Foulks' life. Hearing the commotion, other officers ran in and were able to administer CPR and also use an Automated External Defibrillator to stimulate the officer's ailing heart.
The statement by the department also stated that “Broward Health Medical Staff noted that Rutledge’s actions and the quick response of these officers were largely responsible for Officer Foulks surviving this medical episode.”
You can see the entire ordeal play out in the video, but keep in mind that it is a surveillance video, so everything appears to move in slow motion. Rutledge acted within seconds, even though it appears to be longer when watching the video (due to the playback speed).
The lifesaving teen Jamal Rutledge and three Fort Lauderdale Police Officers will be honored publicly on January 21 at the Fort Lauderdale Commission meeting. What an amazing story!
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