There are a lot of things teenagers aren’t allowed to do, but they definitely know they’re always allowed to help, let alone save a life.
Over three years ago, a 90-year-old woman named Catherine Ritchie of Sapulpa, Oklahoma was about to go to bed when her house caught fire at around 9 PM.
“I was getting ready for bed in the bathroom, and I turned around, and my bed, the head of my bed, was covered in flames,” she told Tulsa News.
Ritchie tried to put the fire out herself by throwing blankets and pillows on it, however, the smoke and heat overwhelmed her so she gave up. So, she decided to call for help by calling 911 and by pressing the emergency call button on her necklace.
All efforts were exerted but she wasn’t able to stop the blazing fire from swallowing her entire bedroom.
Time to abandon the house before it’s too late.
Wasting no time, she tried looking for her way out. First, she walked into the closet a couple of times thinking it was the door leading to the hallway. She was running out of time and options, and Ritchie was having a hard time finding a way out.
It was only a matter of time before the thick smoke gets into completely suffocate her.
As fate would have it, four teenage boys happened to be nearby and saw the smoke coming out of the house. One of the teens said that they were just hanging around the area while figuring out something to do.
One of them also said that it smelled like burning rubber. When they heard the house alarm go off, that’s when they realized someone was in trouble.
The four teens were just 14 to 17 years old when the incident happened, but all of them agreed to save Ritchie inside the burning house even though just one of them actually knew her.
Every tick of the clock counts.
They all started getting into the house by breaking the glass on the front door. One of the boys dialed 911 while another one went to the back door and kicked it as hard as he could to open it. Another teen went to the neighbors and asked for an axe and help.
In just minutes, one of the boys managed to break into the back door and quickly searched for Ritchie. He found the 90-year-old woman and together, they’re able to escape from the burning house.
“This young boy was right there,” Ritchie said. “He picked me up, and I said, ‘I can walk,’ and he said, ‘We’re getting out of here.'”
“I just kind of heard her,” said one of Ritchie’s rescuers. “I went to the right of the house, and no one was there. I went to the left of the house, and I saw her in the hallway, so I just grabbed her and took her to Seth.”
All of them were safe before the firefighters even stopped the flames from the house. Ritchie was beyond thankful and grateful for what Dylan Wick – 16 years old, Nick Byrd – 14 years old, Seth Byrd – 16 years old, and Wyatt Hall – 17 years old, did that evening.
“That’s what I have to think,” Ritchie said. “They were just special, as young as they were.”
Watch the video below to know more about this story.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
