S.D. Burn Institute honors heroes who risked their lives to save crash and house fire victims
At 12:15 p.m. last Oct. 11 in Santee, Amanda Nelson had just returned home from the gym. County juvenile probation officer Michael Keeley was on a call with the parent of a client. Legal secretary Allison Rea was working at her home computer, and Navy nurse David Antico was washing dishes by the kitchen window.
One home was destroyed, and the house next door was half demolished and on fire. They ran to a window and spied a woman inside. Maria Morris,70, was calling for her dog, Roxy, but the neighbors persuaded her to come to the window where they helped her climb out.“It’s important that you get out now,” Keeley told her. Then they could see about getting her dog.
Nelson, Keeley, Rea, Antico and Purvis will be recognized as heroes for their quick-thinking action at the Burn Institute’s Annual Spirit of Courage Awards at the Bahia Resort in Mission Beach on May 5. Other citizen heroes also will be honored for pulling victims out of house and garage fires, burning vehicles and a crashed motorcycle in flames.
At the scene, Keeley phoned Jim Slaff, the son of Maria and Phil Morris, who were sitting on the couch watching TV when the Cessna plowed into their house. Slaff, who lives near San Diego State University, arrived at the crash site a few minutes later. Luckily, the couple who own the house destroyed next door, Cody and Courtney Campbell, were not home at the time of the crash. They had just finished a home remodel a day or so before, neighbors said.
Despite the awards, the residents don’t feel like heroes. Even though they ran toward an inferno without even taking time to slip on shoes, they downplay any praise.Antico is very shy about the Burn Institute honor: “I’m humbled and appreciative. I’m not in it for the recognition. I was just helping a neighbor.”
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