Joe Loduha was on his way to a carpentry job in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, when training from his old job would come in handy. A former emergency medical technician, Joe passed by a house with smoke coming out of it. He pulled over to see what was going on, and a neighbor said there was a dog inside and that they’d called 9-1-1. Help was yet to arrive, so he heroically took matters into his own hands.
With smoke rolling out of the back of the home, Joe kicked down the glass and second door out front and went inside to see the dog asleep on the couch. He grabbed her and ran her outside to safety before heading back in to make sure no other animals or humans were inside. Shortly after, the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire within the next 30 minutes.
Homeowner Patrick Otis would then arrive home to learn of the situation. He ran over to his dog, Darma, and reached out to hug the stranger who saved her life. The house had been destroyed, but nothing irreplaceable was lost. The Red Cross of Wisconsin would arrange housing for Patrick and Darma until they could get back on their feet.
As for Joe Loduha, he had some glass stuck in his leg from kicking down the door but was otherwise fine. What a hero!
H/T – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
