Man meets his rescuer for the first time

It looks like a family gathering, but Jack Bailey and Mike Evans aren't related. Thanks to a scary twist of fate, they now have a bond that's almost as thick as blood.<br/><br/> Mike Evans: "to

Sunday, March 5th 2006, 10:27 am

By: News On 6

It looks like a family gathering, but Jack Bailey and Mike Evans aren't related. Thanks to a scary twist of fate, they now have a bond that's almost as thick as blood.

Mike Evans: "to say that I'm being glad I'm here would be an understatement, if it wasn't for you. I wouldn't be here I'm glad you're here too."

72-year-old Jack Bailey came very close to not being here. Monday afternoon he was driving down I-44, when he blacked out, ran off the road and splashed into a retention pond near the Cherokee Casino. Bailey says he remembers the traffic, but nothing else.

Jack Bailey: "and boom blank, next thing I know I was laying on a bank. I never did see this guy."

Mike Evans was working on light poles at the casino, when he saw the car go crashing into the pond. He took off running, when he got there Bailey's car was almost totally under water. Without giving it a second thought, Evans dove in, wrestled with the car door, and grabbed Bailey.

Jack Bailey: â€œBetty Sue and I been talking how in the world did you get that car door open. I had help, you had help its right above us, I had help."

Bailey and Evans joked that the man involved in the accident is doing better than the man who rescued him.

Evans has a respiratory infection from the cold water.

Jack Bailey: "the crazy part of it is there's not a bruise on me none? none! I broke my fingernail right there."

They spent the afternoon just like that cracking jokes and swapping stories, but Bailey couldn't let his lifesaver get away without giving him some token of his appreciation.

Lunch was on him and he gave Evans a card stuffed with $1,000.

They posed for the camera with their families and by themselves. The stranger who grabbed him to save his life, now embraced as friend and family.