FREMONT, N.Y. (WPIX)—
A 14-year-old boy saved a paralyzed man's life Friday after spotting the man's car after it plunged down an embankment.Christopher Drake lost control of his Chevy around noon Thursday, hurtling down an embankment off Route 97 in western Sullivan County. His car became lodged in a ditch where he would remain for the next 30 hours.
Paralyzed from the waist down for much of his life, Drake drives a specially-equipped car that has an OnStar alert system. However, the OnStar system was malfunctioning and Drake did not have a cell phone.
With temperatures dropping, he attempted to drag his body up to the road -- nearly making it before slipping and rolling back to the bottom.
Suffering from internal bleeding and frigid temperatures, he crawled back into his car for shelter, too tired and in too much pain to leave his car again.
A 14 year-old boy who happened to look out of the bus window on his way home Friday evening, saved Drake's life by spotting the car at the bottom of the embankment and notifying the driver.
Coincidentally, Drake and his saviour, Thomas Conkling, happen to live across the street from each other.
Drake is currently recovering in Albany Medical Center from internal bleeding and exposure to the cold.
