Above and Beyond Awards honor Detroit’s first responders
Those brave stories were a dozen Thursday nights when the Detroit Public Safety Foundation honored 49 firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers.
DETROIT (FOX 2) – Bagpipes accompanied a hero’s performance on Thursday night at the Detroit Opera House.
The Detroit Public Safety Foundation honors first responders who go above and beyond their duty.
“You don’t do the job looking for awards or anything, you just do it because you really care,” said firefighter Lavaughn Williams.
Williams’ heart was on full display in April when he rescued a little girl from a burning house – He noticed movement in a cot as he searched the house and noticed that there was a baby in it who was struggling to breathe.
“I just froze her and picked her up and ran away from there as quickly as possible and thank god I caught up with her before it was too late,” he said.
More: Detroit Firefighters rescue baby girls from house fire they say the family didn’t mention
Those brave stories were a dozen Thursday nights when the Detroit Public Safety Foundation honored 49 firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers.
Detroit firefighter Lavaughn Williams, who saved a little girl from a burning house last year, was honored Thursday.
Detroit Firefighter Jeff Hess was one of them – he was hospitalized in January 2020 after rescuing Antonia Mayorga when flames consumed their home in southwest Detroit.
“Sometimes you go into battle and come out with a few bumps and bruises and since we both made it it was a bit like bumps and bruises for both of us,” Hess said.
More: House fire leaves Detroit woman in a coma and family homeless
He wasn’t the only one who risked life and limb to save someone else’s. Those officers from Detroit’s Fifth Precinct saved a mother and her two children from a potentially fatal domestic violence situation.
“You turn that corner and see him on his girl and you see the gun in his hand,” said Cpl. James Kansier, Detroit Police Department. “All of a sudden you see the gun slide across the floor, and that’s when we decided to lend a hand with the guy.
“And we were able to free him from his wife, handcuff him, and the children were safe upstairs at that time.”
More: Detroit police officers were recognized for heroism after stopping the domestic violence attack on the east side
“No shots fired, everyone got home safely,” said Officer Kollin Gantt, DPD.
The families of the late firefighter Sivad Johnson and DPD officer Elaine Bryant were also recognized on Thursday.
Everyone agreed – they are the real heroes.
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