On Thursday, a family in Morada, California, very nearly lost their home when an electric wheelchair started a fire on the enclosed porch.
Glenda Bush, who lives at the home with her sister and brother-in-law, was terrified to see flames start to consume the porch, which was just below attic space.
“I jumped up and I ran through the house and through these windows, I could see flames as high as I could see,” Bush told KOVR.
“This is an older home. It’s wood and all of this is attic. And so had it caught on fire, it would’ve, I’m — I’m guessing very quickly spread.”
But a good Samaritan had also spotted the blaze and hit the ground running. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from his work van and started putting out the fire.
“And he hollered, ‘do you have a hose?’ Because the flames were, and black smoke was just everywhere and I said, ‘yes, right over there,’” Bush said. “Our neighbors over there come running over hollering, ‘is everybody out of the house?’ Which they were not.”
Bush’s brother-in-law, who uses the wheelchair, is an amputee and he was stranded in the house while the fire continued.
“My sister ran in trying to get him up and realized she couldn’t do it by herself,” Bush said.
Thanks to the good Samaritan, though, the flames were soon extinguished, the majority of the house was saved and Bush’s brother-in-law survived.
“He had no idea that he could’ve saved someone’s life,” Bush continued. “I believe without question he saved our home.”
When the smoke had settled a bit, Bush couldn’t find their hero anywhere. He’d disappeared into thin air.
“And he was literally on his knees right in the middle of all of it without regard for himself,” Bush said. “He was, he was taking care of us and I just really appreciate that.”
Hoping to at least extend their gratitude, Bush was tagged in a post by another family member about the incident on Facebook that asked for help making sure their hero got their thanks.
“Hello Facebook Land!” Cherlyn Beebe‘s post from Feb. 5 began. “I am hoping someone can help me and my family. On Thursday February 3rd around 3:30 pm there was a fire at my family’s home on Quashnick Rd in Morada.
“Okay here’s where we need help, Good Samaritan onto our property and helped to put the fire out. Without his quick actions to help people he didn’t know the damages to our family home could have been much worse than they were.
“This man quietly walked away before we could thank him or get his name. We understand if he doesn’t want to be publicly called a hero, but we wanted to thank him personally. If you are this man or know this man, please have him contact me or stop by the house. Here is what we know about him we him believe to be Hispanic male in his 30s he was driving a white van with red writing on it. We think he think he either lives in the area or was doing some work in the area.”
On Monday, Beebe shared that their good Samaritan had been found: His name was Garrett.
“Update our Angel has been found,” Beebe wrote. “His name is Garrett. He came by the house today.
“Mom asked him why he did it. His response was he saw the smoke and a lady was walking with her kids he stopped and asked her if anyone was in the house she said I don’t know I’m on the phone with 911 he grabbed his fire extinguishers and ran in.”
Thanks to Garrett, this family can continue to live in their home with all their family members accounted for.