(ROME CITY) - A Rome City man is alive today because a neighbor didn't hesitate when a house fire turned deadly.
21 Alive reports that flames broke out Saturday afternoon at the home of Lea Ann and Eric Dawson. Lea Ann Dawson said she smelled smoke and rushed upstairs to warn her husband, who relies on oxygen. As Eric Dawson tried to investigate, the smoke quickly became overwhelming, leaving him unable to see or breathe.
With no way to reach him, Lea Ann ran into the street screaming for help.
That's when neighbor Chris McDonald responded. McDonald, an Army veteran, heard the calls and ran toward the smoke-filled house. Knowing Eric Dawson was on oxygen, McDonald said he feared there was little time to spare. He rushed inside and pulled Dawson out just moments before conditions worsened.
Neighbors provided oxygen to Dawson until emergency crews arrived. Another resident had already called 911 after spotting the fire.
McDonald brushed off being called a hero, saying he simply did what any neighbor would do. Lea Ann Dawson called him her "barefooted angel," saying the rescue showed the strength of a tight-knit neighborhood where many residents are military veterans who look out for one another.
The fire caused significant damage to the home. A fundraiser has been set up to help the Dawsons recover as they work to rebuild.