And there's VIDEO of the life-saving catch, believe it or not.

Phillip Blanks is a Michigan native, who was a football star at Kalamazoo Central back in 2009, living in Phoenix, Arizona. He's also a retired Marine, and it shows.

The 28-year-old was up early on Friday, July 3rd to go for a workout with a friend. He had driven to his friend's apartment complex when he heard a child screaming. He saw people outside the burning apartment, trying to catch the little kids that were jumping from a balcony.

Blanks made it over to help catch a three-year-old who was "twirling like a helicopter" through the air - he had jumped to escape the fire. And Blanks jumped in & caught him.

The boy and his 8-year-old sister were injured in the fire - the boy's foot was injured in the fall when Blanks caught him; needless to say, he's alive and that's what counts.

The mother of the kids did not survive the fire. Blanks has made it his mission to find the two kids and their father to help them get back on their feet.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Blanks told WWMT-West Michigan that there was a man standing there, trying to help, but he didn't think the man looked ready to catch the child, so he stepped in. Had he waited for another split-second, the outcome would've been much different. This guy is a true hero. Proud to call him a fellow Michigander.

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