NC Teen Dubbed Hero by Firefighters After Running Into Burning Home to Rescue 7-Month-Old Cousin

Not all heroes wear capes. In fact, some heroes are only high school students wearing basketball shorts and sneakers. His attire didn’t stop 17-year-old L.J. Gray of Kinston, N.C., from running into a burning home to save his 7-month-old cousin.

“As a firefighter, we’re trained with all of the protective equipment that we have—the bunker pants, the coats, the hoods, gloves—to go into these fires, and we’re trained to know our limits,” Fire Capt. William Barss said. “And this young man did it with even less than what an average person would be wearing on the street.”

According to WITN, the fire that broke out Tuesday resulted in a total loss. The blaze was started from overcooked food on the stove.

At the time of the incident, L.J.’s baby cousin was sleeping inside, while the family was in the backyard. L.J., a junior at Kinston High School, dashed through the back door and into the kitchen after his grandmother noticed the smoke. He snatched up little Michari Strayhorn, who was in a room adjacent to the kitchen.

According to the news station, however, the teen was unable to leave the home the same way he came in, because the fire and smoke were too intense. So, thinking quickly, L.J. turned and dashed out the front door instead.

“My daddy called the Fire Department, and I got the baby, ran in front, got the baby, and by the time I got the baby, the back, it was like fire, so I just ran through the front,” the teen told the news station.

All of this was done before the first fire trucks arrived at the scene. L.J. and Michari were both checked out by Lenoir County Emergency Services, but thankfully, both teen and baby had no injuries from the smoke or the fire.

The family lost their material possessions, but with all members safe and sound, they are planning to rebuild.

Read more at WITN.