Florida high school student saves motorcyclist’s life

A high school senior saved a 66-year-old man in Florida. Robert Golden, 18, saw a crash and put a tourniquet on the motorcyclist. Golden had been taught life-saving skills by his Army veteran father.

A senior at Port St. Lucie High School helped save a 66-year-old man’s life after he rushed to his aid at the scene of an accident.

On Dec. 13, Robert Golden, 18, was on his way home from school about 2 p.m. when he saw a motorcycle and PT cruiser collide at Lennard Road and Walton Road in Port St. Lucie.

“I saw the motorcyclist go up the air and slam down on the ground,” Golden said. “Something in my mind just told me to pull over and help.”

Golden said the man’s shin was “separated from his body and he was bleeding very bad.”

Golden, who had been taught live-saving skills by his Army veteran father, knew how to apply a tourniquet. Golden asked a bystander if he could use his belt, and he then wrapped it around the man’s leg to apply pressure on his wound to stop the bleeding.

“(My father) told me to always go 3 or 4 inches above the injury or the site of blood flow and make it as tight as you can, so that’s what I did,” Golden said.

The paramedics arrived and took the man to the hospital. The motorcylist suffered a compound fracture of the leg and an amputation was needed.

Responders said the man would not be alive if it weren’t for Golden, and called him a hero.

“I don’t feel like I’m a hero, just that I was doing something good,” Golden said.

Golden, who plans to attend Indian River State College next year, said he was going to pursue a career in criminal justice, but he may now go into the medical field.

“I think yesterday might’ve changed that into being a paramedic,” Golden said. “Life is probably the most valuable thing on earth. No matter who it is, I’ll help.”

A 17-year-old St. Lucie High School student was driving the car that was involved in the collision, and officials are still investigating the crash, according to Port St. Lucie Police Master Sgt. Frank Sabol.