"Only my husband would do that."

It happened this month at the Fish Camp restaurant on the shore of Lake Eustis in Tavares, Florida. Joe Phillips and his wife Kathy had a table by the window facing Highway 441, with a great view of the lake. It was thundering outside, and raining hard. The food was delicious, but before they ordered dessert, they saw a vehicle break through a fence and a pylon along 441 and plunge into the lake. The driver was Tiffany Legros of Leesburg, a counselor for at-risk youth. She had over-corrected after a near accident, and lost control of her vehicle. What Joe Phillips did next may surprise you.

He recently retired after 24 years in the Army. "When you've been in the military as long as I have, you just react," he said later. "I was happy to do it." He bolted from the table, removed his shirt and shoes, and was beside the vehicle before the water stopped rippling. "I thank God for him," said Legros. "A lot of people are quick to pull out their phone to get the live action, but he went into action. When I hit the water he jumped in and was right there. He kept me calm and never left me. I think he's a great man, because not too many people would do that, especially in a lightening storm."
The ride back to the Phillips' home to The Villages (Village of Glenbrook) was soggy, but he told his wife he had a lot of fun. She hit him on the arm and said "Don't ever do that again." But he added, "If it was my wife, I hope someone would go in to help her."