A phone captured flames in the North County but it's not the burning car that got our attention. It's who was driving it.
The glow on the video is a 2003 Honda Civic owned by 21-year-old Jacob Wallis.
"I just barely got it in January," said Wallis.
Wallis said the engine was shaking, so he pulled off the freeway where moments later. He watched it slowly get destroyed.
Dennese Flowers, who stopped to help, used her cell phone to record the video.
While she was talking with Jacob she thought he looked familiar and then his story confirmed it.
"He was just going to see his son who is sick in the hospital," said Flowers.
Wallis has a 2 year old son named Izaiah.
n October Izaiah was in a stroller, headed to the park with his grandpa when a drunk driver jumped the curb hitting them both.
Paralyzed and blind the toddler's recovery at Rady Children's Hospital is still fragile at best
Now on top of it all, Wallis has to worry about just getting to the hospital to see his son.
Yet somehow, through even this, he stays calm and positive.
Local
"As long as I'm still here and I can still provide for him, that's the main thing,” Wallis said. “I just try to stay strong, i know it's one problem after another."
"I know I would've reacted outwardly much different than he did,” said Flowers. “He just stood there and shook."
"My son is still here,” said Wallis. “I still got my family."
And he says he'll still be here with them as much as possible even if walking is the only option.
Wallis and his fiancee are down to one car as they work with their insurance carrier on the loss. He still doesn't know why his car broke down and caught fire.
