ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Two young boys from Orange County were honored on Tuesday by county commissioners for their brave actions after they rescued two small children from a mobile home fire in June.
Jeremiah Grimes, 11, and Isaiah Francis, 10, were given the Mayor's Hero Award, they were named honorary Orange County firefighters and given scholarships to the fire academy should they choose to pursue a firefighting career when they turn 18.
"It just feels awesome, just to get this award for what I did.," said Grimes.
The two boys were at home at the Lake John's Motel on West Colonial Drive playing video games on June 16 when they realized a neighbor's home was on fire. They called 911 and rushed into the home, pulling an infant and 1-year-old from the kitchen.
"We saw like a lot of smoke and fire flames," Isaiah Francis told Local 6.
The boys were honored and recognized for their efforts at the Orange County Commission meeting Tuesday morning.
"You know, we reserve this for those situations that are truly heroic and I don't think that in my time here, on the commission, that I can think of a time that anybody's done anything quite this heroic," said Orange County Mayor, Teresa Jacobs.
The boys excitedly accepted the awards along with a gift and tickets from SeaWorld. Their proud parents accompanied them.
"To him, he didn't think he did anything heroic. He just did what he thought was right so that's what makes us really happy about it," said Jeremiah's father, Miguel Laboy.
Investigators say there were a total of four children in the home. The two the boys rescued survived. Two other children were in a bedroom. Firefighters pulled them out. One boy was seriously injured and the other died. Their 19-year-old stepfather is facing several charges including murder, attempted murder and arson for the incident.