WATCH: Bodycam video shows first responders catching child who jumped from burning home
Push it, push it, push it hard, hard, hard. Officer D. Whitbacon. Just jump. We're right here. Officer John Walsh. Put up. Come on, come on, come on. And neighbor Joseph Dunbar, those voices are all that stood between an eight year old's escape and the unthinkable. The trio of heroes recalled the moments when split-second decisions were the difference between life and death. I'm just hoping that he trusts me enough to catch him like I because I know in his mind it there's two bad situations for him. He, he stays in there. It's smoke. He comes out, he might fall. He could also hurt himself.e, breathe, breathe. Catching an eight year old wasn't really on the uh on the agenda for the day. I just kind of picked him up. I said, Let's go, kid. I threw him over my shoulder and we just ran. When he felt that was just the best way for everybody that had their arms out like this so he could fall into our arms. The fire happened Monday morning on Prospect Avenue in *** two family home. Two people downstairs self evacuated. The boy home alone while mom was working, had no other options to escape. We got one top 4 trying to get out right now. Dunbar. This was personal. He attends church with *** little 8 year old. He helped rescue from this home and still fresh on his mind, *** devastating fire five months ago right across the street where *** man trapped there wasn't as fortunate. I had to do something. I couldn't have nobody else dying on my wall. The three heroes all have extensive experience playing competitive football and credit that to their quick thinking and strength. It was almost like catching *** punt on *** football field, just kind of look it in, and that's what we did when he fell. The boy was rushed to the hospital for smoke inhalation and is now doing just fine. No one else was hurt. That kid trusted us to get him out that window and thankfully he did jump and that's something I think all parents should be able to tell their kids that they can trust us.
WATCH: Bodycam video shows first responders catching child who jumped from burning home
Updated: 10:16 AM CDT Aug 27, 2025
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A fire broke out Monday morning in a New Jersey home, leaving an 8-year-old boy stranded upstairs without an escape route.The boy jumped from a window into the waiting arms of two police officers and a neighbor.Watch body camera video of the rescue above."Just jump. We're right here," Asbury Park Police Officer John Walsh called out.Two people downstairs self-evacuated. The boy was upstairs alone and had no other options but to escape through the window. The boy was rushed to the hospital for smoke inhalation but is now doing well. No one else was injured.Officer Walsh emphasized the importance of trust, saying, "That kid trusted us to get him out that window, and thankfully he did jump. That's something all parents should tell their kids: they can trust us."Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
ASBURY PARK, N.J. — A fire broke out Monday morning in a New Jersey home, leaving an 8-year-old boy stranded upstairs without an escape route.
The boy jumped from a window into the waiting arms of two police officers and a neighbor.
Watch body camera video of the rescue above.
"Just jump. We're right here," Asbury Park Police Officer John Walsh called out.
Two people downstairs self-evacuated. The boy was upstairs alone and had no other options but to escape through the window.
The boy was rushed to the hospital for smoke inhalation but is now doing well. No one else was injured.
Officer Walsh emphasized the importance of trust, saying, "That kid trusted us to get him out that window, and thankfully he did jump. That's something all parents should tell their kids: they can trust us."
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.