Man Meets River Oaks Officers Who Saved Him

Things could be much worse for a disabled man trapped inside his burning home in River Oaks Wednesday if it wasn't for three quick thinking River Oaks police officers.

"They're heroes," John Sauer said through tears during a hospital interview. "I thank them, the fire was right at my feet. I could feel it when they got to me."

Sauer said he's "OK" but "scared as hell."

On Wednesday afternoon, Sauer got to meet Officers Nathan Wilson, Timothy Whitely and Sergeant Steven Nance who were first on scene and without hesitation pulled him to safety.

"Thank you, I love you," Sauer said as he shook hands with the officers. "I appreciate y'all dragging me out of there. I got scrapes and cuts on me, but that ain't nothing compared to what I could've had."

Sauer's daughter made the frantic call to 911 as she watched her house burn and her disabled father unable to get outside on his own.

"Oh my God," Jessica Sauer says to a 911 operator. "My house is on fire and my dad is in a wheel chair and he’s in bed.”

A River Oaks police car dash cam video shows the intensity of the fire. The flames were shooting well above the roof from the home on Churchill Road around 1:00a.m.

"The smoke, its burns your eyes, it burns your lungs," Officer Nathan Wilson said. "You can't do anything in it."

The three officers pulled Jessica's dad, John, through the bedroom window to safety.

"At that point so much adrenaline is going," said Whitley. "You don't think, you just react. It's just a natural instinct. You got to help this person as best as you can."

Jessica Sauer, her eight-month-old baby and brother all made it out safe. She says she's thankful for the officer quick response that saved her dad's life.

"It was very scary," said Jessica. "You never think it's going to happen to you."

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