Metro HS football players hailed as heroes after saving man from house fire

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A group of football players from a Paulding County high school are receiving high praise for taking quick action when they spotted a house fire.

Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen spoke with the three courageous South Paulding High School football players at their practice Monday.

“His face was all black from the smoke as he ran out,” Kai Keller said while speaking of his teammate. “I was like there is a fire. We got to do something. It’s serious.”

Keller along with teammates Pierson Blair and Ryan Seymour were hanging out in their Villa Rica neighborhood last Friday when they spotted flames coming from the windows of a neighbor’s home.

That’s when the trio took quick action with Blair grabbing a garden hose and running in.

“It was pitch black. Couldn’t see anything,” Blair said.

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Blair continued to spray down what he could while Keller found another hose and Seymour worked to make sure the homeowner was safe.

All three student-athletes are incoming freshman who have already made their team, and school, proud.

“We want to always put it on the line for the person next to us,” said Athletic Director Lamarr Glenn. “That’s exactly what these three young men did.”

The teens said there was no hesitation on their part when it came to what they should do. They “tackled it” just like on the football field.

“We got to help these people out. If this was your house, you’d want people to do this for you too,” Seymour said.

School holds special balloon release ceremony for Secoriea Turner Friends, family and classmates said their final goodbyes to the 8-year-old Monday.

Cox Media Group