(Michigan City, IN) - Four men have been recognized for saving the lives of a woman and her great grandson trapped in a burning mobile home in Michigan City last month.
Trevor Brockshire, Pat O’Brien, Malik Shannon and Jonathan Steinman were given challenge coins for their life-saving efforts at the June 20th meeting of the Michigan City Common Council.
The ones they saved, Sandra Root, 77, and her four-year old great-grandson were there for the presentation.
At least three of the men were pouring concrete for a new driveway when they ran over to the nearby burning residence at the Dunewood Mobile Home Community on Indiana 212.
Not knowing if anyone was inside, they tried entering through the front door, but were driven back the smoke and flames. The men then started busting out windows and hollering to awaken anyone inside as flames started engulfing the home.
Soon enough, there were indications the home was occupied, and soon a woman and child walked up to the broken windows before being carried out by the men reaching in for them through the frames.
“These individuals used their own set of values and stopped whatever they were doing to aid another human being in a desperate time of need,” said Michigan City Fire Marshal Jeff Bruder.
Root, her voice cracking as she broke down in tears, gave each of the rescuers a hug during the brief presentation.
“Thank you guys. Thank you so much,” she told them.
Root was airlifted to a hospital in Fort Wayne with burns on the inside of her throat from heated air inhalation. Her great-grandson was treated and released for undisclosed injuries.
According to Michigan City Police, the fire after sunrise was intentionally set and attempts to determine who set the blaze are still ongoing. Bruder noted he could not release further details as a result.
Council President Don Przybylinski called the men heroes in the fullest sense of the term.
“That’s being a true, true, loving human being when you put your life on the line to do what you gentlemen did. God bless you,” he said.
Przybylinski also said he was glad to see the woman and boy at the council meeting and “doing fine.”
