Imagine being just 8 years old and facing a life-or-death situation. That’s exactly what happened to Grayson, a brave young boy with Down syndrome, who alerted his 14-year-old sister Ava of a fire in their Colorado home.
Thanks to his quick thinking, they both escaped the inferno just in time.
A Terrifying Scene Unfolds
On Sunday, December 1, while Grayson and Ava were alone at their Centennial, Colorado home, a fire broke out around noon. When Deputy Ryan McConnell from the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, he described it as nothing short of catastrophic. “Anywhere there was a hole in the house, there was smoke coming out of it,” he said in a video posted online.
Sheriff deputies rescue two children from backyard of burning home.
On December 1 just before noon, Deputy McConnell and Deputy Calderon responded to a house fire in the 4800 block of S. Gibraltar Ln. in Centennial. When they arrived, they saw heavy smoke inside and outside the… pic.twitter.com/rAkQ739ufl
— Arapahoe Sheriff (@ArapahoeSO) December 2, 2024
A Mother’s Worst Nightmare
The kids’ mother, Renee Unruh, was just a few miles away at her mom’s home with her husband Steven. Little did they know, their own house was filling with smoke, and their children were fighting for their lives. Renee told KCNC-TV that she could see the smoke filling the sky, but she had no idea it was coming from her own residence.
A True Hero Emerges
Before Grayson and Ava could escape to the backyard, Grayson quickly called out to his sister, who was downstairs, to get out. “He was yelling, ‘Ava, Ava!’ And kept yelling, ‘Ava, Ava.’ He kind of saved her life. He’s our hero,” their mother tearfully recounted to KCNC-TV.
The Dramatic Rescue
Body camera footage shared online by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office shows the intense moment when Deputy Ryan McConnell and Deputy Chris Calderon arrived at the front door of the family residence. Thick black smoke was billowing out, and the children’s cries and screams can be heard in the background.
As the deputies tried to gain access to the backyard through a blocked gate, they were forced to take drastic measures. They tore down part of a wooden fence with their bare hands, allowing them to reach the terrified siblings. The body camera footage captures the heart-stopping moment when the deputies break down the fence, with Grayson’s cries echoing in the background, “My room’s on fire!”
A Miracle Escape
Miraculously, Grayson and Ava were led to safety, and firefighters began putting out the blaze. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office reported that both deputies suffered smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene by paramedics. The two kids were also treated and released with no further medical needs.
Tragically, the fire claimed the lives of one dog and one cat, while four other cats remain unaccounted for. One SMFR firefighter was treated on-site and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Grayson’s bravery in the face of danger is a true inspiration. His selfless act saved his sister’s life, and his story will be remembered for years to come.
