Eddie Heussler is a FedEx driver. While on his route in January, 2002, he saw a four year old boy at the side of the road, waving his hands frantically. Eddie stopped and the boy pointed out a house down the road that was completely engulfed in flames.

Eddie ran to the burning house and went inside. Although the walls, ceilings and floors were on fire, Eddie could make out a figure laying motionless about thirty feet away. He ran to her and tried to lift her but could not. Eddie then dragged her about halfway to the exit when the door slammed shut. He ran to the door but could not open it, so he ran back through the fire, charged back toward the door and succeeded in opening it by hitting it with his shoulder. He returned to the woman and had almost succeeded in dragging her to the exit when they were both hit by a wall of flame. The room had "flashed over" from the incredible heat, which had reached over 1,000 degrees and ignited everything in the structure at once. The explosion blew Eddie through the front door, where he found himself rolling on the ground trying to extinguish the flames that had engulfed his body.

As a result of this attempt, Mr. Heussler suffered critical, life-threatening burns and injuries. He remained in the hospital for several months, recently returning to work almost a year later. Eddie's positive attitude and humbleness have been outstanding throughout the ordeal.

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