By Andy Diffenderfer
Correspondent
When Rossville Middle School student Dakota Nation heard his dog barking early on Feb. 20, he went outside to investigate -- and saw his neighbor's house ablaze.
Knowing he had to act quickly, 13-year-old Dakota trusted his instincts to pull 54-year-old Steve McDaniel to safety.
Dakota said he saw flames coming out the living room window of Mr. McDaniel's home and rushed over to help his neighbor, who is recovering after hip surgery.
"He was on his stomach, crawling through the front door when I found him," Dakota said. "The whole time he was crawling, he was yelling, 'Help!' When I grabbed him and looked in the house, I saw nothing but flames."
Dakota carried Mr. McDaniel to the yard and called 911. Then he got blankets and wrapped up Mr. McDaniel while waiting for help to arrive.
"I asked him if there was anybody else in the house and he said, 'No, I'm the only one,'" Dakota said. "I was nervous; I was just trying to save him."
Mr. McDaniel was taken to the trauma unit at Erlanger hospital, then moved to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
A family friend, Sarah Waite, said that Mr. McDaniel is in intensive care. Doctors were concerned about smoke inhalation but his condition improves slightly each day, she said.
His burn injuries were mostly on his head and hands, she said.
Rossville Public Safety Director Sid Adams said the state fire marshal believes the fire started when an electric heater's extension cord overheated. The blaze started in the living area and spread to the attic, causing extensive damage, he said.
Mr. Adams had high praise for Dakota, an eighth-grader who is active in athletics at Rossville Middle.
"It took a lot of responsibility on his part, and I think he did an outstanding job," Mr. Adams said.
Andy Diffenderfer is based in LaFayette, Ga. Contact him at andydiff97@comcast.net.