Homeless Man Dubbed A Hero For Saving 2 Kids & 2 Dogs Who Were Dropped From Window Of Burning Home

May 29, 2023

Waking up to see your house on fire is a nightmare you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, but that was exactly the harrowing experience of a single mom in Phoenix, Arizona.

On May 18, 2023, Claudia Jiminez awoke to find her house going up in flames. Unable to exit through the front door because of the blaze, Jimenez feared for her life and the lives of her two young children – 8-year-old Natalie and 1-year-old Valerie – in the house with her. In her panic, she began to scream out of a second-floor window for help.

“I opened my window and I started yelling 'Please, someone help me, there's a fire, I can't get out through the front, I need someone to help me," Jiminez recounted to CBS News. 

Fortunately, her screams were heard by a homeless couple who were camped nearby. The husband, Joe Collins, then rushed to Jiminez’s aid.

“All I see is a lady pull open the window and she's screaming 'Please help me, please help me,'" Hollins told the outlet. With only precious few moments to act, Hollins urged Jiminez to drop her children down to him.

“He was right underneath and he was like 'Yes, throw your daughters out, I'm going to catch them, I'm going to get them," Jiminez said. Left with no options, Jiminez had to entrust the stranger with her children’s lives. First went Valerie, then Natalie, both of whom Hollins was able to catch safely. Then came two of the family’s dogs. Next up was Jiminez, who was suddenly struck by doubt and hesitated.

Hollins told CBS News Jiminez was reluctant to make the jump for fear that she would hurt herself or Hollins in the process.

“She didn't want to come at first. She was scared she was going to fall," Hollins said. "I was like 'I got you. Don't worry,'" Hollins recalled.

With little time to spare, Jiminez jumped out of the window and was caught safely by Hollins. Although all of Jiminez’s possessions were lost to the fire, she and her children were lucky not to have lost their lives. A teary Jiminez told the outlet she had Hollins to thank for that.

“I will forever be thankful to him, you know? Like I said, to me, he was an angel. Because of him, we're here, we're alive and my daughters are safe," she said. 

Hollins, however, rebuffed attempts by the media to paint him as a hero, saying he had only done what anyone would have in his position. He said simply:

“Those are children.”

Meanwhile, a Go Fund Me page was launched to help Jiminez and her family raise money to get back on their feet. Another fundraiser was also launched for Hollins by a good Samaritan who had no ties to Hollins but was profoundly moved by his actions.

“Though I don't know this man, we as a community should help those that put their well-being on the line for others. Let's band together an help this man get off the street so that he can have a roof over his head and find a job,” Sara Nelson wrote.

Were you moved by the way Hollins saved the lives of Jiminez and her children? If so, then pass this along to friends and family so they can read about his heroic deed as well.