In the village of White Mountain, Roseann Titus began her day just like any other February morning, then she saw flames coming from a bathroom at the front of her house. After fighting the fire unsuccessfully, she woke up her granddaughter and great-grandson, who were both still asleep.
Her great-grandson, 8-year-old Colton Koonooka-Kowchee, wasted no time. With flames blocking the way out of the house, he jumped out the window into the snowdrift ten feet below. Then he ran off through the deep snow to find help.
Volunteer firefighter Shane Bergamaschi answered Colton’s call. He helped pull Colton’s mother and great-grandmother through a window and rushed them to the local clinic to be treated for burns and smoke inhalation. Titus was eventually flown to Anchorage for further treatment.
Their home was lost, but Colton’s actions saved his family’s lives and most likely prevented the fire from spreading to other houses.
