Parades, concerts, barbecues and pool time describe many people’s Independence Day festivities. The Fourth of July weekend typically is full of fun and fireworks, but not a house fire.
Carolyn Ware and her husband were gone from home for the Fourth of July, as were their neighbors. They were off relaxing and having a good time, until their Ring doorbell went off.
The Ring doorbell alerts a homeowner whenever someone approaches the door where the device is installed within a designated range. Ring doorbells allow a homeowner to view whoever is at the door and speak to them.
At first, Carolyn thought it might be a child running by or maybe even a loose dog had tripped the alarm. But when she glanced at the video, she found a very frantic man on the other end.
A stranger driving by her Grimes home spied a fire raging in Carolyn’s attached garage.
“He originally thought it was a tiki torch in our front yard and then noticed it had flamed bigger. At that precise moment that is when he figured it was a fire.”
He could’ve driven by. He could’ve sat in his Kia and called 911 then took off.
But this man leaped out of his vehicle and sprinted up the front door to alert the homeowners to the fire. The good Samaritan frantically rang the doorbell hoping to catch someone’s attention then sprinted back to his vehicle to call for help.
He peered inside through a window to see if anyone was inside before returning to the site of the fire. After calling 911, he remained on the scene until county sheriff’s deputies arrived and the fire was extinguished.
Thankfully the fire was detected early enough that sheriff’s deputies were able to put it out with a fire extinguisher.
Once he realized his assistance wasn’t needed, the stranger took off without a trace. Carolyn wanted to track him down so she could properly thank him.
But she had no idea how to find him. He saved her home, her memories and belongings contained inside. It was important to her to be able to hug him.
If it wasn’t for this stranger’s kindness and quick thinking, her house likely would’ve burned to the ground. Carolyn couldn’t be more grateful for what he did.
“As fast as they came and as fast as the fire started, my house would have been burnt down… It would have been just a matter of time before everything was caught on fire. I would love to meet him. I would just love to say thank you.”
The man took off once the fire was put out, not wanting or needing praise or accolades. Carolyn still wanted to thank him personally for what he did.
“I just wish I could give him a big old hug. Of course, it’s you know, not probably proper right now, but I can’t thank him enough.”
Carolyn admitted that she quickly grows emotional when she watches the video over and over again.
“I mean I get teared up especially when I watch the video. It’s like I can’t thank him enough. And I would love to meet him. I really would. I would just love to say thank you. What a man. What a hero.”
After all the publicity given to the Wares’ fire and the mysterious man who saved their home from burning down, they finally learned who he was.
“It’s obviously a priceless act of kindness and there is no amount of money or whatever you can do to even pay this man or to do. But I just want him to know that I am so thankful and my husband and my family are so thankful and I’m just glad there are people in the world like him.”
It took only 24 hours for their hero to emerge, even though he didn’t want or expect any praise and gratitude. Matt Nitchals admitted that it was him in the Ring doorbell video frantically trying to reach someone at the Wares’ home.
The two connected finally and plan to have both of their families come together to celebrate the saving of their home and their new friendship.
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