Chicago teen who helped out during emergency meets officers he assisted

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - On Sunday morning, neighbors woke up to a loud crash and saw a car on fire. Police arrived to find two men unconscious and still inside the car.

In the end, they were able to get the two men out safely. And now, they're thanking a 15-year-old for his help.

One of the officers was handed a fire extinguisher by the teenager as he rushed toward the car fire. This all happened Sunday morning near 77th and South Loomis.

On Monday night, 15-year-old John Sweet was welcomed to Chicago Police 6th District Headquarters in Gresham. Four of Chicago's finest were eager to meet the "neighborhood kid" who helped them save two lives.

"I'm running and my hero comes up and is like 'here!' - like it just fell out of the sky," remembered Officer Shadai Sweiss.

He said it's touching that a teenager is willing to help police out, it just doesn't happen every day.

"There were a few people, adults on scene, but who jumped in? John," said Officer Sweiss.

"A lot of people helped me when I was younger, I really wasn't all that of a good kid and people helped me become the person I am now," said Sweet. "So, I guess that's why I want to help people better themselves."

Sweet is 15 years old and grew up in the Gresham neighborhood. He said he just wants to make his family proud, but that wasn't always the case.

"I almost went to jail a couple of times, you know like fights and stuff like that, doing things, caught after curfew," said Sweet.

He said that in the past few years, he's gone from street life to now straight A's at Excel Academy of South Shore. Also, but no surprising, he wants to help people when he grows up and be a social worker.

The reason for his change in attitude? He said it's because of his grandmother, 92-year-old Mildred.

"I don't want my grandmother to think 'oh my grandson didn't do anything'," said Sweet. "So, I want to change my life for the better so people can be proud of me. I don't want to be another statistic, I want to be somebody."

Sweet said college is most certainly in his future and hopes to attend University of Illinois.

The two men rescued from the car are expected to be okay. The driver of the car was also ticketed.