WINTER PARK, Fla. — The anonymous West Virginia firefighter who saved the life of a Florida woman during a wreck in Massachusetts last month has been located. Earlier this week, MetroNews brought you the story of Lisa Churchill of Winter Park, Florida who was saved after the accident when a passer-by moved her off the road and waited with her for the ambulance. He only identified himself to her as “Tim, a firefighter from West Virginia.”
Now in recovery from her injuries, Churchill went to social media in hopes of locating Tim, and after 48 hours found him.
“I did. I was so happy,” she told MetroNews. “I was starting to think he didn’t exist, but I was so happy that I found him.”
Churchill received a Facebook message from a woman who claimed to be Tim’s girlfriend.
“She saw my post and said, ‘That’s my Tim.'” said Lisa “I verified by asking if they were in Massachusetts and if he was from West Virginia and she said yes and actually went over the whole accident with me. I said, yep, that’s him.”
Admittedly nervous, Lisa sent an e-mail to Tim and was overjoyed when he responded.
“He emailed me back and was glad to see I was okay and told me to do the best at my recovery,” she said. “By the e-mails, he’s a pretty humble guy. He said the thanks were appreciated, but not necessary.”
Lisa said she was able to thank him for saving her life, but explained he had done even more than that.
“He saved the life of a stranger which saves so much other stuff within the family. He has no idea the circle he kept together,” she explained. “I thanked him for talking to me and keeping me calm because I was terrified.”
Tim didn’t divulge his last name in the correspondence, where in West Virginia he was from, or the fire department where he serves. Lisa was okay with that.
“I don’t want to give him any attention he doesn’t want,” she said. “He knows the way I feel and that’s the important thing.”
The world may never get a chance to meet Tim and praise him for his heroic action. But, he seems to be okay with that. Lisa, a stranger who met him at her worse moment, is satisfied she was able to connect with him and share her deep personal gratitude.