Firefighter Rescues Little Boy from Burning House, ‘Where Is Sam?’ Boy Asks – Story of the Day

When a team of firefighters rushed to rescue a little boy from a burning home, they did not expect to find an unexpectedly brave witness waiting to help.

"9-1-1. What's your emergency?"

"There's a fire in Pete's house! I can hear him crying! I don't want him to die! What should I do?"

All along the ride to the reported address, the team of firefighters couldn't stop thinking of the weak voice of the toddler they had heard minutes ago.

"Can you save my best friend? Please, please, please save him!"

The corner of the quiet and pleasant Drucker Street was surrounded by a swarm of worried neighbors and rising clouds of smoke.

The entire front side of the house was on fire, including the small garden in front of the porch.

Watching the team of firefighters get to work was an incredible sight of synergy and precision. Each member approached their assigned duty with a sense of urgency and calmness at the same time.

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The sea of onlookers parted and made way, hoping the firefighters would get to the child stuck in the fire soon.

A faction of the team followed the muffled cries that came from the house. It sounded like a six or seven-year-old boy, and it seemed to be coming from one of the rooms in the back.

'That must be Pete,' one of the firefighters realized. He and his team navigated through the ruins and flames with an accuracy that could only come from decades of experience.

After breaking down two wooden doors and walking over heaps of shattered glass along the hallway, they finally found a little boy hiding behind a stack of small plastic chairs.

That barely recognizable room with half-burnt wallpaper was the children's bedroom, and the little boy wasn't the only one struggling to breathe in there.

One of the firefighters picked up the child. His expressionless face was smeared with smoke on one side, and there were a few gashes on his forehead.

There was no time to waste. The team rushed the semi-conscious boy safely out of the house.

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Just as the commander was about to heave a sigh of relief, one of his subordinates rushed to him and said, "Sir, please come with me. We have reason to believe that there is another child in there."

The subordinate guided the commander to the back of the van, where Pete was being tended to and monitored. The little boy's eyes lit up when he saw the commander. "Where is Sam? Please, get Sam out of there!" Pete kept asking.

Another faction of the team was getting ready to go in. Just then, the commander spotted a little girl approaching from the backyard. She was carrying a bucket of water and pacing intently towards the porch of the house.

"Stand back, little girl!" The commander wondered if he had blurted it out too loudly.

But the girl was far from scared - she looked fierce and did not appreciate being clocked by the big older man.

"I need you to stop. Are you Sam?" the commander asked.

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"We've got this, Kelly. Go to your parents."

"My parents are away. I can't just stand here and watch. I can help find Sam!" Kelly was almost pleading to be a part of the mission. "Besides, I overheard you were missing a person on the team. Here I am. Tell me what to do."

Kelly was adamant, but the commander somehow got her to reveal where the puppy was.

"Thanks, Kelly. We'll take it from here. By the way, did you know that Pete was asking for you? Go talk to him. He's right over there at the back of the truck."

Kelly hesitated at first.

She burst into tears, thinking of the innocent little canine.

"We'll be very careful and gentle. Trust us," the commander assured her in a kind voice. "Now go to your friend."

The commander ensured that Kelly went the right way and then called a group of subordinates into action to rescue the puppy.

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It had been an exhausting hour. The crew did not hesitate for a second before going in for the puppy again.

Like Kelly said, Sam was curled up under a basket in the children's bedroom - the same place where they initially found Pete. One of the firefighters wrapped the little puppy up, and the others helped clear the way out.

The commander's heart melted at the fearful eyes of the puppy. He cuddled the scared little dog until its constant whimpering slowed down. He then carried it to the back of the van, where both Pete and Kelly had been sharing their worries for Sam.

The kids almost jumped at the sight of their buddy.

"Sam! You're here!"

The commander stood by and witnessed one of the purest moments of joy he had witnessed in his life and career. The love that the kids were showering upon their furry friend and the way the dog was licking and tugging at them in excitement felt deeply rewarding. It was nice to remember that the work he did still mattered.

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The kids thanked him a million times in their sweet, sincere words. And unprovoked, they started telling him things about their lives and families.

"You see, we are neighbors and best friends," Kelly said.

"Yes, we are. We go to the same school, study in the same class, we both hate math…." Pete extended the list.

"...and we both love Sam!" Kelly added, scrunching her nose and petting the puppy.

"Ah, so you were playing together when the fire started? Where are your parents?" the commander tried to get their whole truth out.

"Ms. Gloria came, but as soon as she thought we were asleep, she sneaked out to meet her new boyfriend."

"Yeah, she broke up with the last one because he was too lazy. The ex-boyfriend's name was Cody, and the new boyfriend's name is Jaden. He has a motorbike!"

The commander was amused by how much the kids knew.

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"Yeah, so we weren't really sleeping, and we saw them going away on the bike."

"So Kelly and I decided to play ball in the garden. I went in to look for my new ball, and that's when the fire started."

"I smelled something funny, too, but I ignored it." Kelly took over the narration.

"Suddenly, I heard Pete screaming from inside the house. "Fire! Fire!" I was afraid, and I didn't know what to do.

"Then I remembered there was a phone in the garage! There was no fire in the garage, so I ran and made a phone call to 9-1-1 and waited.

"I tried to be patient. But I could not bear to hear Pete's cries and not do anything. And I was worried sick about Sam, too. So I thought of helping.

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The chief was deeply moved by the little girl's kind heart. Wiping her tears, he told her, "You are a brave little girl, Kelly. It wasn't a safe idea to walk into the burning house with a bucket of water, but you didn't know that. Now you know! And more than anything, you helped in the biggest way by calling 9-1-1 as soon as you could! Like it or not, you are a hero, too!"

Over the next few hours, the crowds cleared out, and the street became quiet and lazy as usual again.

When Pete's and Kelly's parents came rushing back, they did not care to throw a second glance at the charred house. They ran to the firetruck, longing to see the children. There they were, sitting with Sam in the back of a firetruck, playing tic-tac-toe with a group of firefighters.

"Mom! Dad!" Pete called out happily. "Remember you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up? Well, I've decided... I'm going to be a firefighter. A real superhero, like them!"

"Me, too, Mamma, Papa! I think they're way stronger than even Batman or Superman!" Kelly weighed in and hugged the misty-eyed chief. Pete and Sam joined in on the hug, too. That moment was his happiest memory of the day.

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What can we learn from this story?

• Children have a way of demonstrating incredible intelligence and kindness when it is least expected. Nobody expected little Kelly to act with such presence of mind and bravery, but she ended up saving two lives.
• Firefighters are unsung heroes who deserve all our love and respect. The commander and his team left no stone unturned in trying to rescue Pete and Sam and keep Kelly safe. They are real-life heroes whose service deserves our gratitude.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a kind waitress who treats two firefighters with a gesture of gratitude and soon gets a surprise visit from them at her home.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.