NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A teenager in Hermitage is being called a hero after running through a burning house to save a family member.
Arthur Tate spoke to NewsChannel 5 from his hospital bed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center Tuesday.
Tate woke up early Monday morning at his home on Tyler Drive to his grandfather yelling for him to get out of the house.
“I was in my room and I heard my grandfather yelling to get out of the window,” said Tate.
The 17-year-old said he knew that if he jumped to safety out the window his grandpa would be trapped in his room. So he opened the door and ran through the fire.
"I ran through the hallway, tripped over a chair and I sort of rolled around in the fire for a minute and I got right back up,” recalled Tate.
He did all of that so he could then jump a fence and bring a ladder to his grandpa's window.
“I managed to put the ladder under my grandpa's window to get him out,” said Tate.
He rescued his grandfather while suffering second degree burns on his hands, feet, face and back.
“I didn't really care about my own safety. I just wanted him out.”
Their home suffered severe damage and they lost most of their belongings but Arthur said he is just happy to still have his grandpa.
“He told me I was his hero. What he doesn't know is he's mine as well,” said Tate.
Tate has been moved out of intensive care, and is doing much better. He said his scars will heal in time.
The family does have homeowners insurance but need help replacing everything lost in the fire and paying for Arthur's medical bills. A GoFund me accounthas been set up in Arthur's name.
