Ex-football player catches boy tossed off balcony in fatal Arizona blaze, video shows
When Phillip Blanks heard screams while working out Friday at a friend’s apartment in Arizona, he dashed outside so quickly he forgot his shoes, MLive reports.
The 28-year-old former college football player spotted a third-story apartment at the Phoenix complex in flames, KABC reported.
“People were screaming ‘there are kids up there’ and to throw the kids down,” Blanks said, WWMT reported.
Neighbors had already pulled an 8-year-old girl from the flames, KPNX reported. Then, something horrifying happened.
“The mother threw the second child over the balcony while (the mother) was burning and I saw her in flames, head to toe,” said neighbor Juanita Williams, KABC reported. “She was burning, but she didn’t make it out.”
Incredible video: Former @KCentral_Sports WR Phillip Blanks dives to catch a 3-year old boy dropped from a burning, 3rd floor Phoenix apartment. I just spoke to the former @USMC Marine who says he was "put on this earth to protect people". His story tonight on @wwmtnews pic.twitter.com/Y4qDvMFEwV
— Andy Pepper (@APepperWWMT) July 6, 2020
Firefighters later found the body of Rachel Long, 30, mother of the two children, in the wreckage, according to KNXV.
Blanks spotted someone preparing to catch the 3-year-old boy as he was ‘twirling in the air like a propeller,” he said, but wasn’t sure the person could do it, so he dashed over, KABC reported.
“It was all fast, it was a blur,” Blanks said, MLive reported. “It was tunnel vision as I was running. I didn’t see anything but the baby.”
A video posted to Twitter shows Blanks make a diving catch as the child falls into his arms and both crash to the ground. Blanks said the boy’s foot was slightly injured.
“I know how to catch,” Blanks said, KABC reported. “I’ve learned how to catch a football. So I’ll give some credit to football.”
Blanks played football for a Michigan high school and then Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California, according to the station. He also served as a U.S. Marine.
“I don’t see myself as a hero,” Blanks said, KPNX reported. “A person trained to do my job is trained to protect people.”
Other neighbors rescued Jaquil Durr, Genae Pugh, and their 4-year-old son from a different apartment, KNXV reported. Durr and Pugh tossed their dog and son into a sheet held by neighbors.
Durr climbed down a ladder while Pugh jumped, suffering minor injuries, according to the station. “We lost everything,” Pugh said.
Blanks said he’s trying to find the two children whose mother died in the fire to help the family somehow, WWMT reported.
“I would honestly like to be involved in the kids’ lives, because I know they had a traumatic experience and I know that their lives have changed forever,” he said, MLive reported.
The fire remains under investigation, but is not considered suspicious, The Arizona Republic reported. Eight apartment units were damaged.
