Neighbor Risks His Life to Save a Mother and Her Children From a House Fire

A heroic neighbor saves a mother and her children after their townhouse caught on fire in Baltimore. Steven Angelini was asleep in his bed when he heard popping sounds outside the house. When he saw that the home across the street was in flames, he ran to it without hesitation.

Neighbor Saves Mother and Children from Nasty House Fire

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As he ran outside, he yelled to his neighbors, “Is anybody in there?”

His question was answered by screaming.

"I heard like horror, horror screams -- it was haunting, it was scary, and I knew it wasn't good," he recalled.

He tried to grab a ladder that was on a nearby parked truck, but couldn’t get it off due to an arm injury. Instead, he ran over beneath the third-story window and told the woman screaming to drop her two children into his arms. 

There was tons of black smoke billowing out of the window, and fire lit the floor below. He knew everyone had to act quickly. 

A Decision Made in a Second Saves Lives

At first, the mom didn’t want to drop her first son down, but when she realized she had no choice, she consented. 

“Drop him! Drop him!” Steven shouted up at her. 

Then she dropped the boy into his arms. Two neighbors nearby Steven helped him. 

She dropped the second child, who slipped through Steven’s grasp. Steven was still able to break his fall. 

One of the boys is 9 years old. Before he was dropped, the mom told him, “I looked him straight in the face. I said, ‘If you don’t let go, we’re going to die in here.” 

“It was very scary,” the boy said. Then, neighbors helped prop up the ladder so the mom could climb down. 

“I knew she had seconds left because the smoke was too intense,” Steven said. 

The fire started in the family’s living room. It completely destroyed that section of the house. 

Thank God That the Neighbor was There

“You’re my hero,” the mom told Steven, hugging him. 

"I don't mind putting my life on the line for others," Steven said. "I think God put me here and puts me in situations to help other people. I did what anyone else would do for my family."

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And thank God that he did put him there! Thanks to him, the family suffered only minor injuries and will have a full recovery. 

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h/t: ABC

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Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.