8:53 AM Mon, Oct 15, 2007 | Permalink |
Last month, we told you about the heroic actions of two good samaritans. Tony Murphy and his former co-worker at the time, John Preston, saw a burning home in Kent and flew into action. The two raced inside to rescue one of the residents trapped inside. They were confronted with "A wall of smoke. This isn't like TV, you couldn't see anything," said Murphy.
Fortunately, the two heroes were able to pull the disoriented man from his home. Firefighters say were it not for Murphy and Preston, that man would likely have died.
That man did not make it out completely unscathed; he suffered smoke inhalation, as did Tony Murphy.
Murphy's ambulance ride and hospital visit came with a $2,200 bill, and because he'd just started his job, Murphy's health insurance hadn't kicked in. "He puts his life on the line and now he's having to deal with financial ramifications of that," said Patti Olsen, Murphy's former co-worker.
In the wake of Murphy's predicament, a few people stepped forward with small gifts and advice to help Murphy pay his medical bills. It's the advice that really paid off. Murphy was told he might be eligible for medical coverage under the fire victim's homeowner's insurance. It turns out, he was. Murphy says the insurance company has just come through with a check to cover his medical bills. Murphy calls that a "huge relief."
With our without that financial retribution, would he do it again? You bet. "I didn't get out of the truck and go how much money do I have? How much is the hospital?"
Thank goodness something finally worked out on the side of the good guy. These are the times I think the Government should step in to help out. A citizen should never have to pay for doing the heroic thing. He's lucky the homeowners insurance paid.