Neighbor says Officer Decker saved him

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - The cul de sac where Norfolk Officer Victor Decker and his family lived in Virginia Beach was quiet on Wednesday. There was no outward sign of the impact he made, but in talking with neighbors it was obvious that he made quite an impact.

"He saved my life," said Bryan Clark.Clark got to know Decker very well four years ago.

Decker banged loudly on his front door.

"My grill had fallen over onto my wooden deck and started to smolder and caught fire, and the whole backside of the house had caught fire," said Clark.

Clark was in a deep sleep. He explained that in another five minutes, the entire house would have been engulfed by flames had it not been for Decker.

"As soon as I opened the door, he bust through straight out the back door and we went to the garden hose," said Clark.

"He was going places, definitely going places. I just wish there was something I could do now for him," said Clark.

A couple of years ago, Decker gave Clark another gift, a Crepe Myrtle tree from his own front yard.

The tree never quite took to Decker's lawn, but on Clark's it flourished and flowered.

Officer Decker's neighbors said when the time is right, they'd like to put a blue and black ribbon around the tree in honor of their fallen friend.