On the evening of Feb. 26, Kai Brown and his grandmother Jennie Brown were in their home in West Linn, Oregon, when a fire broke out.
Seeing the danger first, Kai called 911 and warned Jennie to get out. As Jennie came down the stairs, she slipped and fell, and couldn’t get back up again.
“I got to the top of the stairs and I tried to breathe in but it hurt really bad,” Kai said, according to KPTV. “I tried to help her down the stairs but she ended up falling.”
Kai was unable to move her himself, so he ran out of the home to flag someone down. Thankfully, Ronnie Coulam was driving by and saw the smoke coming from the home.
Coulam wasted no time assisting the grandmother. He had his 4-month-old in the car, but asked a neighbor who was present to keep an eye on him while he helped.
When Coulam approached Jennie, he noticed her face had been blackened by smoke, but he managed to get her to the front door. By that time, the fire department had responded and firefighters were able to take over from there.
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Thanks to Kai’s vigilance, Coulam’s bravery and the firefighters’ assistance, Jennie is alive today. She remembers the rescue as a sort of divine intervention.
“This angel came out of nowhere and just swooped me up and I was out the door like that,” she said.
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A few weeks after the incident, the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue held an event to recognize the efforts of the heroes responsible for Jennie’s rescue.
“Station 56 was filled with hugs, handshakes, and a few teary eyes yesterday when our crews reunited with the people who helped rescue a woman during a house fire in West Linn last month,” they posted on Facebook on March 23.
“As the fire started getting bigger, the woman’s grandchild persuaded her to leave while also calling 911. In trying to get out, the woman slipped at the bottom of the stairs and was unable to evacuate on her own.
“The grandchild enlisted the help of a community member who was driving through the neighborhood. The bystander pulled over immediately to jump into action, entering the burning home and pulling the woman toward the front door.
“TVF&R firefighters arrived and carried the woman out the front door and to the front lawn for further assessment. Then they returned to a hose line and helped bring the fire under control. It was a remarkable outcome, and the woman is alive today because of the quick actions of all involved.
“The grandchild and bystander were each presented with a certificate and coin recognizing their live-saving work. These reunions are always special and treasured because our firefighters rarely get the chance to follow up and meet with the people they’ve helped.
“Thank you to local media for helping tell the story.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
