World Around You--May/June 1997--Student Spots Fire-Saves a Life. Gallaudet University

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DEAF STUDENT SPOTS FIRE Saves a Man's Life
	Carlos Manor

It was just lucky that he was there. The school bus was not on its regular route because one student was sick and didn't go to school. Carlos Manor, 10, was riding to class with three other students. It was almost dawn, when he looked out the window—and saw the burning house.

Carlos called out and bus driver Dot Benson turned around to look at him. Then Benson saw the house too. Flames were leaping from the front windows. All the students were sure that there was someone inside because a car was in the driveway and a light was on in the back. An assistant jumped off the bus and tried to go inside. The heat was too strong. The assistant turned back, overcome by smoke and temperature.

Benson had already called the fire department, using the phone she had in the bus. Luckily the fire fighters arrived quickly. A man was in the back of the house. Fire fighters led him to safety. As soon as they got outside, the windows exploded and the house collapsed in flames.

"Very Bright" Hero
Carlos has been deaf since he was 15 months old. He is in a self contained class at Forest Hills Elementary, in Augusta, Georgia.
"Carlos is a very bright young man," said his teacher Beverly Turbyfill. "He excels in everything he does."
They "sure do" credit Carlos with saving a man's life, she said. "He has received many awards," said Turbyfill.
He has also visited the man whose life he saved. His name is Alfred Heroic and he is 85 years old.
Harwick "was sleeping peacefully," said Turbyfill. "He had no idea what was happening before the fire fighters woke him up."
"The fire was awful," Carlos told reporters.
Hardwick's home did not have smoke detectors, fire fighters noted. Now it is gone. But thanks to Carlos, Hardwick is still alive.
"Carlos notices everything," Turbyfill told the newspaper reporters. "This time it paid off."

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