Although every school runs fire drills, the unfortunate reality is that some buildings are easier to escape from in the event of a fire than others.
And the higher up somebody lives, the more difficult their descent could be depending on how the fire spreads. After all, the cause of a fire isn’t usually known until an investigation after the fact so there’s often no telling where it’s already present when you’re in the heat of the situation.
That nightmare scenario devastated one Arizona family, but it’s thanks to the actions of some heroic bystanders that the results weren’t even more tragic.
While he was working out at a friend’s apartment in Phoenix, Arizona on July 3, 28-year-old Phillip Blanks heard some yelling outside.
As he told MLive, “I wasn’t able to grab my shoes. I ran down the stairs barefoot.”
What he saw when he ran outside was an apartment engulfed in flames and a mother preparing to throw a three-year-old boy from the balcony to a passer-by below.
Blanks noticed that this person wasn’t going to be able to make the catch, so he dove towards the child himself and made the miraculous catch.
As USA Today reported , Blanks drew on both his experience as a college wide receiver and a U.S. marine in this situation. He now works as a body guard.
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As he told MLive, “Ultimately, this is my job. It was all fast, it was a blur. It was tunnel vision as I was running. I didn’t see anything but the baby.”
Blanks said the child’s foot was injured in the fall and the fire left his skin melting, but his head and major organs were safe.
However, both the mother and her eight-year-old daughter were still inside the apartment.
As USA Today reported , 42-year-old D’Artagnan Alexander was able to force his way into the apartment and pick the girl up from the floor before rushing her to safety.
Police and fire officials are currently investigating the cause of the blaze and do not suspect foul play.
Sadly, 30-year-old Rachel Long did not survive the fire.
As a GoFundMe campaign set up for her children’s medical costs explained , she went back in to save her daughter after throwing her son from the balcony, but never returned.
Blanks referred to Long as “the real hero of the story,” saying , “She made the ultimate sacrifice to save her children.”
Long’s son is in the process of an encouraging recovery at the hospital, but her daughter has a longer road ahead of her.
According to the GoFundMe page , she has had one surgery since the fire, but will require seven more as well as some physical rehabilitation.
Long’s husband Corey has since met the men who helped save his children.
As Blanks said before this meeting took place, “I would honestly like to be involved in the kids’ lives because I know they had a traumatic experience and I know that their lives have changed forever.”
The GoFundMe campaign remains active and has raised $47,837 of its $75,000 goal by the time of this writing.
