Man looking for off-duty EMT who saved his life

DETROIT (WJBK) - A passenger who was involved in a nasty crash was saved by an off-duty EMT worker who watched the horrific scene unfold. Now, he wants to track down his hero.

Antonio Montana will never forget the day he met his guardian angel. The 22-year-old was riding in the back seat of a Cadillac on Hayes near Seven Mile. His brother was at the wheel and had a seizure while driving. They went through an intersection and were t-boned. Then, his angel arrived.

"He told me just be strong and just keep fighting - whatever I do, don't let go," Montana said. "He was just telling me to be strong and to fight it for as long as I could. The only thing I remember is the impact of the other car ... My brother telling me not to move."

Someone called 911 as Montana stayed in the wreckage. He says he tried to take off his seatbelt but couldn't move. Then, out of nowhere, a man came up to him.

"He asked me my name, and I told him, and he told me to just keep breathing so he could know that I was okay," Montana said.

Montana said he can't remember the man's name but remembers the man saying he was an off-duty EMT. When firefighters and on-duty EMTs arrived, the man stayed with him and even held his head inside the mangled car.

He blocked the glass as it was shattered when the jaws of life were used to pry open the car. Montana was removed and the man stayed with him and talked him through it all the way until he got into the ambulance.

After eight hours of surgery, Montana can't help but think - what if the man didn't stop and help?

"I think it would've been a lot worse," he said. "I probably wouldn't even be here right now."

Montana said he can't remember much but knows the EMT was a white man, with gray hair and a stocky build and he was wearing a baseball hat. Montana is hoping he can deliver his thank you message in person.

"I want to thank you for saving my life," he said.