Eliezer Reyes, age 23, caught two children and a mother and father jumping from a burning house last week.
It happened in Bristol, Connecticut, where Reyes was on his way with his girlfriend to buy some snacks. He first saw the flames as they approached the small corner store. Pulling over, he jumped out of the car and noticed a group of people doing likewise – instead they were filming the spectacle from afar with their phones.
Reyes decided to get closer to the building. As he did so, he realized there was a woman in an open window. Black smoke was billowing out – and she was holding two small children.
A man joined Reyes and suggested he move his truck in position under the window, a maneuver the stranger thought would make for a safer rescue. Citing time and the worsening fire, Reyes resisted. They needed to get them out now. He knew the chances of survival were slim if the woman and her husband passed out before help arrived.
“Toss them to me! I’m going to catch them,” Reyes yelled up to the mother.
Only the petrified woman was frozen in fear.
“’I’ve got you,” Eliezer yelled. “They’re safe.”
“She didn’t trust me at first, but eventually, she dropped her [first] kid, and I caught him,” he told local media. Seeing Eliezer safely catch the first child, the besieged mother dropped the second.
Both children out, the mother prepared to jump. By this time, a crowd had gathered around Eliezer. Together they helped catch the distraught woman. They provided the same assistance for the father.
All four family members were transported to the hospital and treated for minor injuries and smoke inhalation. They’re all expected to make a full recovery.
Understandably, Eliezer Reyes is being hailed as a good Samaritan.
“I just encourage everybody to help each other, because like, you might need help and the other person it felt so good to help each other,” Reyes said. “My whole life I always wanted to be a firefighter and I was like this is my chance to like help somebody maybe.”
Heroes take action. When everyone else was observing, Eliezer moved towards the danger. He recognized the urgency, took command and developed a trust with the fearful mother. His boldness helped gather a crowd, all of whom then followed his lead.
Courage is contagious.
Heroes also put their phones down, stop filming, and start helping.
Well done, Eliezer Reyes.
Image from WFSB.
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