The Palos Park fire department presented an award to 17-year-old John McCarthy Tuesday night.
McCarthy is a junior at Naperville Central High School where he is halfway through a CPR course. His training came to good use Sunday when he came to the rescue of a driver who lost control of his vehicle after suffering a medical problem.
"I was really confused and in a panic mode until I heard he possibly had a heart attack, and that's when I responded with CPR because that's the only thing I could do until paramedics arrived," said McCarthy.
"I wanted to show that respect...being there for him, showing him that we are thankful because if he didn't do that we don't know what the outcomes would have been," said Kathleen, accident victim's daughter.
Fire officials say McCarthy likely saved the man's life. That driver is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries.
