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Subscribe to RSS"If he wasn't here, we would not be alive," Emilio Jackson said of his big brother, Justin, 12. WPMI-TV's Christian Jennings reports.
A 12-year-old boy risked his life to rescue his four younger siblings from a burning home near Pensacola, Fla.
Justin Jackson says he was watching over his three brothers and one sister when a fire broke out inside their home in Milton, Fla., on Sunday evening, NBC station WPMI-TV in Mobile, Ala., reported. His mom was working the night shift at a nursing home and his father had been away on business, according to local media reports.
“If he wasn’t here, we would not be alive,” Justin's 9-year-old brother, Emilio Jackson, told WPMI-TV. "I love him all the way to the universe and back."
A storm knocked out power to the neighborhood and the children had used a few candles to light up the house, according to WPMI-TV.
Justin said he was awakened by thunder and lightning, and then saw smoke. He leaped into action, grabbing his three brothers, including Diego, 6, and William, 5, WPMI-TV reported.
"I just picked them up and took them outside and I was knocking on neighbor's doors but none of them came out," Jackson told WPMI-TV.
Jackson said he ran back into the fire and kicked down the door to get his 3-year-old sister, Brooklynn.
"I was worried that I was not going to get my little sister out of there," Justin told WPMI-TV. "I had to pick her up and she was real stiff, I was just real scared at that point."
After saving his sister, Justin said he dashed back into the burning home a third time to call 911.
"Smoke was in my eye. I couldn't see anything," WPMI-TV quoted Justin as saying.
Jackson's mother, Tiffanie Jackson, said she was working when she received a telephone call concerning her children.
"When I saw the flames I was, like my house is on fire, I didn't know what to do. My life is burning up. My babies were in that," the children's mother, Tiffanie Jackson, told WPMI-TV. "There aren't enough words to describe how proud I am of Justin. He's my hero."
Said Justin: "I was just helping my family."
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And the neighbors did not answer. Nice neighbors NOT
Considering it was night and the kid was asleep, other people were probably sleeping too. Sleeping through someone knocking on their door doesn't mean their neighbors are jerks.
People are always so quick to criticize before they know any facts.
They were jerks.
Give us your address and let's see how you fling your door open in the middle of the night.
I'm sorry it's come to this, but that's how the meth-heads start a home invasion. Step 1, bang on someone's door and see if they open it. Step 2, beat dumbass that opens the door until they are unconscious or dead.
I don't blame the neighbors, particularly if they are elderly. I do blame the parents for putting a 12 year old in charge of a household and not alerting the neighbors that they might need to keep an eye out for them in case they might....I don't know....set the house on fire?
A knock on the door sounds like thunder during a storm. Even the thought of a 12-year-old in charge of four younger children overnight makes me shudder.
Had enough... hope you NEVER have kids, they will never be allowed to do anything on their own, will learn that everything should be fair otherwise cry about it and sue someone. Probably be the biggest trouble makers in school while you swear they are perfect angels, they would not do that. Obviously HE SHOWED he was more then capable of taking care of the children and reacted correctly, yes maybe some children cannot be left alone, BUT MANY CAN AND HAVE, but people like you think you should decide other peoples lives for them if "thought of a 12-year-old in charge of four younger children overnight makes me shudder."
Some single parent families do have to work to support the family instead of sitting on couch all day collecting welfare. Instead of shuddering why not realize that even a 12 year old is capable of more then someone like you would ever allow them to accomplish or do!!
Wish I could vote twice for a GREAT COMMENT!
BAD neighbors. JUSTIN IS MY HERO TOO!!!
If I heard someone banging on my door in the middle of the night screaming help or fire, I probably would have opened the door. You can usually peek through your curtains, or peep hole or something and see that there is a kid, your neighbor, standing there. My hope is that his neighbors were simply sleeping or he was in such a panic he didn't wait for them to get to the door. I'm sure his neighbors feel bad they weren't able to help him but are proud of him none-the-less and are reaching out to the family now since there house burned down.
Good job little man! That was a brave thing to do, I salute you.
I'd upgrade that to "young man." And add my salute.
and his hair still looks fabulous!
Me, too. Good job, bud.
Isn't it odd that another story in the same section reads, "Mother kills 4 children, then herself, police say"?
A young man saves 4 of his kin at risk to his own life, and another kills of hers for no reason.
It will take a while to fully understand us, won't it?
The 12 yr old boy did great, but he is still too young to be left alone with the care of younger children. That mother should be fined, In Texas there is an age limit of 14 yrs. a child younger than that can not be left home alone or in charge of younger children. The woman was working and the husband obviousely was also a wage earner, there is no reason why they couldn't afford to pay someone to stay at the home and watch the children. I had two children, I was a single mother, and when I had to work nights, I always found someone to stay over with my babies.
You absolutely DON'T leave three children that young in the control of a 12 year old child!!! Even if they are sleeping. It is hard enough for one adult to manage three kids, let along one 12 year old child and boys are small framed at that age.
My house burned when my children were 6 and 5. I grabbed my children (son 6, daughter 5) and ran them to the neighbors and pounded on the door. During the excitement and confusion of explaining our situation and getting them to call the police, my son ran back to our house and hid under his blankets in the bedroom. You never know what a child will do. My neighbor and I had to return to the house and find him. We got him out and within 15 - 20 seconds the front door was sucked shut and the backdraft smothered the fire (as the firemen explained to me). The intense heat at that moment melted the fire alarms off the ceilings even in the back of the house where the flames had not yet reached. So, the thought of this boy going back in to call 911 is just chilling!
What a brave brave boy! Their mom and dad are so fortunate their children are alive. I would rather live in abject poverty (and I have) than leave my children alone. I absolutely know what it is to have to make such a decision - babysitter/no babysitter! Choose carefully!
I think he did just fine being felt in charge, everything is not always black & white.
Good job Justin! Now that's a great big brother! The question is now, who lit the candles???
Why are four kids being watched over by a 12-year-old?
Legal babysitting ages vary by state... I think it's either 12 or 13 here in New Mexico. Kids of that age are allowed to be left "in charge" of younger kids without it qualifying as child endangerment.
Because, like so many American families, his family needs two incomes to manage -- and most likely don't have the money to spend on childcare.
Maybe if an adult had been in charge, the candles would not have burned down, or even been lit. But there is no guarantee of that. When he became aware of the fire, he acted in a thoughtful and responsible way.
Nice going, Justin! I hope you and your family will have the resources to support whatever it is you want to do when you grow up.
Clearly the kid was mature enough and responsible enough to handle the task. I started babysitting when I was 11, and if my daughter were to start babysitting in a few months when she turns 12 (I believe that 11 is the legal age in our state), I feel confident that she has the maturity and skills to handle it. It really does depend on the kid. I think this kid's mother judged him fairly.
Um, did you happen to notice that the kid responded appropriately and handled it as well as anyone could have?
@StateFlower - Except that he shouldn't have gone in the third time to call 911. Somebody would have eventually answered their door or noticed the fire and called 911. It wasn't worth him risking his life over.
A better question is why was there apparently no working smoke alarm in the home, with 5 children living there?
I believe the story said that the power was out. If there were smoke alarms wired in with no battery backup, they wouldn't go off. I know it isn't likely these days with emergency backups, but it is a possibility.
@Mark - Yeah, I'll give you that. The point is, he seems to be responsible enough to babysit. At least as responsible as most adults.
Is there some question of his ability?
There's your hero. Great job, kid. Way to think under pressure.
BUT, DON'T YOU EVER PLAY WITH CANDLES OR OPEN FLAMES AGAIN!!!
I'd suggest they were not playing with candles and open flames. They were using them to see.
Firefighters for the most part do not allow open flames in their own homes -- they've seen this kind of thing happen too often. But lots of people still use candlelight for ambience or for emergencies.
Justin seems like a clearheaded and thoughtful young man. I suspect he will not permit open flames in a house again.
Did you not READ the article Warren? He wasn't "playing" with candles. The lights went out, they needed candles to see. sheeeesh
Were the candles required for them to see in their sleep?
Nirvash - Who is to say how long the lights were out?
Some kids are afraid of the dark, or they may have needed something to light the way to the bathroom. A better choice would have been flashlights, but those may not have been available to them, and hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it. Just glad they all made it ok. Sounds like he knew exactly what to do, so way to go mom & dad for training him right!
Chances are, at least one of them did play with the fire a little, but that wasn't what started the fire (at least, according to current information). It was leaving a burning candle unattended, while they all slept. Considering that most of them are little kids, and there was a possibly scary storm, its understandable that they'd want some light in case they wake/get up in the night, or to make them feel more safe going to sleep, but hopefully they'll avoid it if in similar circumstances in the future.
It's good that they're okay though, and that the boy acted quickly and correctly. Even going back into the house the third time is understandable (albeit not a fantastic idea, certainly), since I imagine he wanted to call the fire department as soon as possible, to try salvaging some of their things and/or to make sure the fire didn't spread to other houses.
Accidents happen. Accidental fires are caused by adults all the time. I don't think these children should be reprimanded for trying to produce a common light source in the middle of the night. Obviously this kid is smart enough to be careful with fire from now on, and that family is incredibly lucky they raised such a responsible child.
That was a very brave undertaking for that little guy. He's a good big brother!! Glad they all got out safely.
In the end it doesn't matter who lit the candles. Such a great ending to what could have been a horrific tragedy.
Sure it does! Becuase if it was Justin, then he just made himself out to become a hero. ;)
Blake, any way you want to spin this go ahead, but the fact is that the kid saved his family. I am an adult and I have fallen asleep with a burning candle and awoken to wax dripping down the side of my cabinet. Mistakes happen. Don't be so harsh.
And you just made yourself out to be an idiot with no class. That's right, take the shine off
what this great kid did! Proud of yourself?
@Blake - even if Justin did light the candles; it was for them to have light in the home, not for play AND he is a hero because he saved his family. No matter how you look at it; Justin is a true hero!!!!! How many adults would be brave enough to go back into a burning house; much less a 12 yr. old kid?!
Blake, you're clueless. If any of this is anyone's fault, it's the parents' fault for not having plenty of flashlights available instead of candles. I doubt, that you could have done any better at handling this situation than 12 year old Justin did. You've proven that by your comment
I really think the better question here is why the &%#$ didn't any of the neighbors help???
To Justin: You are the best big brother any kid could hope to have!
To the neighbors: Shame on each and every one of you! At the very least someone could have looked out their window to see why someone was banging on their door! I hope that you are never in the kind of position that poor kid was in knowing that he still had his little sister inside and couldn't get any of you losers to even crack open a door! Shame, shame, shame.
UMMM I don't know about you, but I know that when I am sound asleep at night I don't hear a single thing! Some people are heavy sleepers and don't hear anything when they are in a deep sleep, that doesn't make them a bad person, it's not their fault! Just saying....
Several years ago, a burgler entered my house through the garage door, took my car keys out of my purse which was sitting on the kitchen counter, and stole my car. My husband and I slept through it (thanks to the police who recovered my car, undamaged, the next day...) After having slept through that, I know it is possible to sleep through someone knocking on the door or even ringing the doorbell.
Has there been a fund set up to send money to help this family get back on their feet after the damage to their possessions due to the fire. I, for one, would love to help out.
I bet if you call Milton, Fl Fire Dept (any one if more than one location) they would be able to find that information for those that would like to make a donation to the family.
Just what I was thinking, Puppy-4305691. Why does fault always need to come into play when talking about a story like this. I'm so sick of people always pointing their finger, looking for someone to blame. Justin should be given all the props for his action and quick thinking, and his parents should be given praise and congratulations for raising a responsible, mature son.
Absolutely osogood! Not every family has the where-with-all to hire nanny's and such. Young children of working families, especially big families, sometimes have to pull their own weight sooner than they should. They often grow into very responsible adults rather than those who have a sense of entitlement. Perhaps the folks who carry on about how inappropriate it is to have high expectations of children should take a look at the end result of those high expectations.
"I love him all the way to the universe and back."
This quote by Justin's little brother is so awesome and Justin greatly deserves this!! Well done Justin; you truly are an inspiration, as well as a quick thinker.
To the neighbors; glad you aren't my neighbors!!!!
12 years old and runs back into a burning house to save his family. Amazing is the only word that comes to mind. What an amazing kid :D
Job well done. Sorry that the house had to burn down. But great job on getting your siblings out.
You definitely are a hero. Excellent. Glad to hear everyone is safe.
AWESOME JOB to this young man! But I hope someone told him that if it ever happens again, DON'T GO BACK IN TO CALL 911! If your all safe that is all that matters, let the place burn after that.
It wasn't the place he was saving Pocket it was his sister! And no, the best advice isn't "don't go back in, just let your sister burn to death" geeez!
The police always tell you not to fight back, the fire department always tells you not to go back into a burning house...
Look, you mindless half sheep and half parrot, if he hadn't gone back into the house his sister would be dead. YOU, being the lowest form of human life, may abdicate all your humanity to the state, but DO NOT TELL THINKING PEOPLE WHAT TO DO!!!
YOU let YOUR family burn, or crawl off to call the police when someone is attacking them, rather than fight.
moron
@tz-3189534 AND @mICHAEL-2772128 trying reading the entire article!!! Of course I didn't say to let his siblings burn. Dumb*ss's!
Hate to tell you clam, but the FACTS make your statements plain silly... He DID, IN FACT, go back in and save his sister. He DID, IN FACT, go back in and call 911 and get back out.
I've been a firefighter and known lots of police. They ALWAYS give idiots like you certain advice. Because idiots like you have no judgement of their own. But ask a cop or firefighter what HE would do? If he thinks you have a clue he'll tell you if it's his family, he's not sitting there doing nothing... He will tell you if he can get in and out and call 911, he's going to try and save as much of his property as possible.
Get a clue sheep... And stop being a brainless parrot. This is from a former firefighter fool.
You are a genius!! Why wouldn't we all think of that? After saving all our family, as life is the most important (which is what I congratulated the young man on), lets risk our own life to save material property!!! Absolutely genius thinking!!
Go back under your rock. Do you seriously think his mother or any parent would have wanted to have heard they lost their son after he saved all his siblings, because he ran back in to call 911? No firefighter I know would ever tell someone that is OK to attempt, even with a small fire. Did you read this artcle at all? Do you realize he already saved everyone and THEN went in to call? The foolish sounding one here seems to be you Michael.
I guess being a firefighter doesn't require you to know how to read! PocketClam made a very true precise statement. 'If' you're a firefighter, you need to find another career.
You must try really hard to be so stupid...
"No firefighter I know would ever tell someone that is OK to attempt, even with a small fire"
No firefighter would ever tell an idiot like you that on the record, because you can't think for yourself...
But, as a former firefighter, who has known thousands of firefighters, no firefighter I know would not go into a house to save mere property... What do you think firefighters do for a living moron?
let's say it SLOWLY for the terminally stupid - the official line for all idiots is, never go back into a burning house. The REAL advice any firefighter LIVES by himself, and would tell anyone who is smart enough to use decent judgement, is use good judgement. If there's a pan on fire on your stove - advice for idiots like you, leave the house. If a pan is on fire on the stove, what would a firefighter do, and what would he tell someone with a brain - PUT THE FIRE OUT!!! You don't let your house burn down because of some blanket advice for mere morons...
This thinking thing is very hard for you, huh?
So that is your official advise for a 12-year old boy? God I hope you don't have kids.
A twelve year old boy who saves his sister from a fire and can think for himself? Or an idiot you spawned?
Look, retard, you really need to learn to think for yourself. But if you ARE utterly incapable of doing so, don't you dare talk to people who can...
Firefighters go into burning buildings ALL THE TIME to save property. Think on that a while genius... They only tell fools like you blanket statements because they know the average idiot can't use any personal judgement...
Michael, you are the mindless half sheep and half parrot that is showing what a moron you are. For the terminally stupid, let me spell it out for you. This 12-year-old boy had already gotten his brothers out, knocked on his neighbor's door, and gone back in and gotten his sister out. That was more than enough time for a fire that had gone up the curtains to have spread throughout the ceiling which could've collapsed and killed him on that third time back in. He said he could barely see due to all the smoke as well. This was no burning pan on the stove.
As much of a moron as you have made yourself look like in this interchange, I strongly suggest you take that advice that is the official line for all idiots. As Clam said, I hope you don't have kids.
Gosh, everyone here has hopefully been 12 at some point although some of you are bickering like toddlers. At 12, you don't really have the brain capacity to think things out so thoroughly as you guys and he certainly didn't have the benefit of hindsight. He probably figured he went into the house twice and made it out so he could probably do it again to call for help. So after he saved his siblings, we went ahead and tried to save their home and their things--which for a 12 year old is really important. Poor kid probably didn't want to have his mom and dad come home and see their house turned into ashes. Cut him some slack. He's 12, a very mature responsible 12--but still a 12 year old.
Michael: Why so nasty?
@Pocketclam: Notice Michael says he is a "former firefighter". That, based on his comments, says alot about why he may be a "former" instead of a "current". LOL
@ Concerned Citizen: If you will notice, there are but a few negative comments about what the kid did, should of done, etc. The rest of us are applauding his heroic efforts. Try reading some more comments before you lump "everyone" into one basket.
Michael-2772128, you are suspended for a day for violating rule # 1 of the Code of Honor.
A firefighter violated the code of honor? I thought they had blanket hero status still.
I love a story with a happy ending!!! Thank you Justin for making this story a happy ending :)
Thank goodness this story had a happy ending! It could have gone so wrong!
We had a fire in our house, and here's what you should know:
-Never, ever run back into a burning building. Justin ran inside again to save his siblings, and for that he deserves a metal. BUT to run back inside to call the fire department wasn't a wise thing (I understand that the neighbors were not answering their doors - shame on them). Glad he wasn't trapped.
-Always have some battery-powered light sources. There are even battery-powered candles - no matches needed! We have several flashlights throughout the house just in case of an outage.
- Make sure you change your smoke detector and CO2 detector batteries twice a year - a lot of people coordinate this task when changing the clock back to and from Daylight Savings Time.
- After the fire - you'll be helped by your municipality (I think most have this service) to find temporary shelter from organizations like the American Red Cross. Also - public adjusters will come out of the woodwork to find the homeowners and solicit them for handling the homeowner claim. DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING until you gather all the information from these people, check their references, negotiate a rate (yes, you CAN negotiate the % they're paid from your settlement).
- Your homeowner's insurance's adjuster will try to settle with you quickly - not a bad thing. However, they also will try to not do all of the necessary things to make you whole again like instead of replacing walls and insulation, they may try to talk you into painting over (encapsulating) the damaged area. You WILL SMELL THIS WHEN IT IS DAMP or on a hot day. Hire a public adjuster to assist you in settling your claim and get the job done right.
- Fire restoration companies will pick up your salvageable items and clean them. However to keep your claim manageable, throw out the outgrown clothes, or other things that you REALLY don't need clean. Cleaning things that you will not use will merely exhaust your claim limits. Any antique or precious items, you might want to clean yourself!
- Rebuilding after a fire: Everything stinks. It's covered in soot, is stained, burned, and smelly. You will throw out things like mattress, pillows, stuffed furniture, etc. Even things like quilts will pick up the smell. Any synthetic fiber will attract the odor. Even our Gore-tex jackets picked up the smell, and I ended up giving them away because we couldn't stand the smell.
- Keep good records of phone conversations, receipts, and anything connected to your claim. Make copies and do not give originals to the insurance company if you can help it!
Just a few tips - hope this helps someone out there! :-)
Florida requires fire detectors to be wired in. Unfortuantely, many of the wired in models that come preinstalled in the new homes have no battery backup capacity. Many people may not realize this and fail to purchase additional "old fashioned" battery models. One additional tip is to check which type of detector you have and make sure they will work when the power is out.
This is a wonderful story with an amazing outcome, so let's keep the focus on the positive!
I'm not sure why people are saying nasty things about the neighbors. The story makes it clear that this happened overnight - it could've easily been 2 or 3am. If someone was knocking on my door at 2 or 3am, I wouldn't hear them....because I'd be sleeping. I highly doubt I'd wake up - especially if whomever was knocking just knocked quickly and then left and went to another house (which is what this sounds like).
What an amazing kid! So glad that there are responsible kids in the world - he is a true hero!!
If it was one neighbor, I'd agree with you. But it was multiple neighbors. One or two might not hear the knock, but the world is full of light sleepers, so someone must have heard.
If they were not home, or there were other extenuating circumstances, the journalist should have said so.
I doubt the kid was being a quiet little church mouse as he was knocking on doors. If it were me, I would be screaming bloody murder to get someone to open their door and you can't tell me that every one of those neighbors is a heavy sleeper. No way. Today, most people don't want to be involved in anything. How many times do you see an expose where people walk right around a person laying on the sidewalk? Or, another asking strangers on the street for help, only to be ignored?
I am an incredibly cautious person and rarely use candles. I do know that I have probably fallen asleep with a candle lit at least twice. Thank goodness I only use candles with a very good bowl to catch all the wax. So, this can happen to anyone.
The wonderful and miraculous news is that this 12 year old boy, but now a young man, saved all those kids. This would really have been a horror story had he not been brave and put himself into action. Way to go young man! Keeping your cool in these circumstances is to be honored. Big brother takes on a whole new meaning in this story! Sorry to the family for the loss of their home, but that can be replaced eventually.
I hope someone is watching that kid very carefully and makes sure he gets ALL the help he needs. What he did was amazing, but he also just came through an unimaginably awful experience. PTSD would be a very normal reaction to what happened. He's at a rough age, and the symptoms could easily be dismissed as "adolescence." The effects of PTSD can have long-term consequences, and it would really stink if this kid's heroism ended up costing him later in life.
Obama said if he had a neighbor who knocked on his door, and he ignored, he would look just like Justin Jackson...
I'll bet that even today Justin doesn't feel like a hero, but that he was just doing what you do. And of course, that makes him a hero. I'll also bet he'd rather have his home and his family's things back than any accolades. And you've gotta love the 9 year old brother's sentiment "I love him all the way to the universe and back".
What a brave young man. The love and responsibility of family can be so powerful. He is a hero, and it can be a lesson for all parents to have a plan in case of loss of power.
I won't sleep with any candles on in my house- even candles in glass containers.
Again, way to go. You are a hero, Justin.
From some of the comments here it is clear this must be said:
The police ALWAYS tell you not to fight back against an attacker, but to run and call the police. The fire department ALWAYS tells you not to go back into a burning house, but to run and call the fire department.
HOWEVER, if you are willing to abdicate your humanity to the state, you are a worthless sheep, and an idiot parrot to repeat that advice back ad nauseum.
If a house is on fire and my loved one is inside, I'M GOING BACK IN! YOU let YOUR family burn, you worthless human lemming. If someone is killing or raping a loved one, I'M FIGHTING BACK. YOU let YOUR loved one be murdered you worthless coward!
If you base your most fundamental decisions, regarding the life and safety of your loved ones on the rote butt-covering, lawsuit fearing advice of a faceless state, then you are a worthless peon owned by the state. And FYI, moron, the police aren't magic, neither are fire fighters... If THEY can think and fight back, SO CAN YOU!
America USED to be the land of the FREE and home of the BRAVE, now there are too many idiots and lemmings...
That 12 year old saved his sister, BY GOING BACK IN and IGNORING THE STUPID STATE! And yet you want to lecture him with the WRONG advice? What total loser mindless drones you are.
Michael, you seriously need to see a psychiatrist. You are a sick human being. I read the same comments that you are spewing your mentally deranged venom about. No one said that Justin should have let his siblings die in the house. They only said that it was too dangerous for him to go in and call 911. The police have NEVER told me to not fight an attacker. Also, I don't believe for a second you were ever a firefighter or that you know "thousands" of other firefighters. You sound like an angry teenager that believes he knows everything and that everyone else is a f#$@%^$ idiot. Right? Grow up!!!See a doctor and take your meds!!
Good job, Justin!