The quick response Tuesday morning of a teenage neighbor helped head-off potential disaster at the scene of a Fort Wayne house fire.
It created a positive side to a painful event.
19-year old Ben Franke was fast asleep before dawn when his sister barged in his bedroom and announced, “The neighbor's house is on fire.”
What happened next forms a bond that even great difference in age cannot tear apart.
The debris in the front yard of Dean and Ellie Schidler's home in the 3500 block of Rolston Street illustrates the terrible loss suffered in a fire that broke out before 7 a.m.
But the elderly couple escaped with their lives and young Ben Franke deserves much of the credit.
Instead of hanging back waiting for firefighters to arrive, Franke pushed forward to see if the couple he'd known since he was a little boy was in trouble.
Ben Franke/Rescued Fire Victims: " I knocked on his window, he unlocked it, I pushed it up, told his wife to come near. I grabbed his wife, pulled her out. Then he wanted to help the dog, but I told him, let's go and I grabbed him and pulled him out. They were pretty old, they probably couldn't have made it out themselves."
Karen Franke/Mother: " I'm very proud, I'm probably going to start crying I'm so proud. I told him he didn't run away from fear, he knew what to do, he took action, he implemented it. He didn't back down."
We talked to the fire department about Franke’s brave act.
Capt. Matt Brokaw/Ft. Wayne Fire Department: " While the Ft. Wayne Fire Department doesn't encourage the public to render this kind of aid, or certainly not enter a burning structure, we have to admit that this young man did a fantastic job and we were glad to see everyone got out okay."
That extends to the family pet, named “pug”, rescued by a firefighter, who hand delivered the shaken animal to its shaken owner.
Elaine Plumpe/Neighbor: " Mrs. Schidler just broke down and sobbed when she saw her dog, and then she went to the hospital, then it was okay."
Of course, it's not entirely okay.
The Schidler's home is a wreck.
But they're alive and Ben Franke feels a little more alive too.
Ben Franke: " I did my good deed for the day. I'm alright."
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