This story from Shelbyville, KY is from WAVE-TV via CNN and Emily Cyr at WUSA9.com:
A Shelby County nanny is being hailed a hero. 22-year-old Alyson Myatt is at University Hospital, recovering from severe burns after she saved a 5-year-old’s life.
Around 6:20 a.m. on March 23, Myatt was sleeping in a downstairs bedroom at a home on Golden Rod where she is a live-in nanny for 5-year-old Aiden Hawes, whose father was out of town.
“I just heard a big boom. I thought it was Aiden,” Myatt said.
After hearing the boom, Myatt immediately sprinted upstairs – barefoot. When she got to the hallway, she was met by flames on the carpet.
“I was calling him. He said, ‘Aly, I’m in here. I’m in my room underneath my covers.’ I was like okay and I ran there, grabbed him and ran out,” said Myatt.
Myatt said her focus was rescuing Aiden. At the time, she didn’t even think about getting burned.
“After I ran off the carpet, my feet were just … it was like I was walking on goo ’cause all the skin. My feet were just burned off,” Myatt described.
Myatt then ran out of the house with Aiden, drove to a neighbor’s house to call 911. Although Myatt suffered burns to her hands, legs and feet, she said Aiden was not injured.
“I’m just happy Aiden is okay,” said Myatt. “I care for that kid a lot.”
“The boy, probably, without her wouldn’t have been able to survive until we arrived,” said Chief Willard Tucker of the Shelbyville Fire Department.
Tucker believes Myatt ran through 400 degree flames to reach and rescue Aiden, something he believes a lot of people would not have done.
According to Tucker, the fire started in the attic near the fan in the bathroom. Tucker said three hours before the fire, Myatt noticed there was something wrong with the fan. She contacted the Aiden’s father about the problem, but they both thought it was not serious.
Tucker advises if you are worried about an appliance or anything else in your home, contact the fire department.
Also on STATter911 …
- UPDATED: One Girl Dies, One Gravely Injured After Prince George’s County house fire. Two other children, parents & firefighter hurt in early morning Brentwood blaze. – January 19, 2011
- Raw Video: Coastal storm cuts fire department’s access. At least two homes damaged by flames in Scituate, Massachusetts. – December 27, 2010
- Blaine, Pennsylvania house fire kills seven children. Bodies found in Perry County farmhouse. – March 9, 2011
- Must see video: Security camera catches house fire in its earliest stages. House burns across street from Ogden, Utah Station 1 & 911 center. – March 2, 2012
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Alyson Myatt is an absolute hero and angel. To risk her life and suffer the injuries she did to rescue a child like that gives me goose bumps. She’s one heck of a nanny and a person. Her parents should be proud – they raised a wonderful person! Get well soon Alyson and god bless you! You made a FF tear up!
I sometimes find it hard to consider people hero’s for decisions they make and actions they take, but I can not and will not argue the fact this young lady is, by far, a HERO. I hope and pray she makes a full recovery, and that she somehow is rewarded for the pain and suffering she is enduring now and will endure in the future. Great job Ms. Myatt. I only wish some of the “firefighters” I work with would make a sacrifice to help someone like you did. Get well soon!
I couldn’t agree more with the comments.
When Emily Cyr, who posts these videos in the player at the top right of the page, pitched it to me. I thought okay maybe I will do a separate posting because Emily wants me to. Then I looked at the story and there was no doubt about running it.
I hope Ms. Myatt is in line for a Carnegie Medal. http://www.carnegiehero.org/nominate_form.php I don’t think I have enough info to fill out the form, but I would be glad to nominate her. (I just sent the link to the department’s email with attention to the chief, in case it hasn’t yet crossed their minds.)
She deserves that and more. A truly inspiring story.
I am glad some of you noticed and commented.
Statter
No greater love has any person than to give their life (or risk it) for another. God is smiling on Alyson Myatt for what she did for Aiden. May He give her rapid and total recovery from her injuries.