ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Burned material, damaged house siding, shattered glass and a broken front door are just some of the damage you can still see from a shed fire at Carl and Media Witten's home Friday night on W. Church Street in Elizabeth City.
The Witten's were fast asleep in their home as their shed burned and the flames threatened to spread to the house. The heroics of two neighbors made sure they woke up and got out safely.
"Five minutes more, we could have lost the entire house. I just thank God, thank Tony and Chris," said Carl Witten.
Tony Winslow lives just a street over and happened to be driving by to meet some friends when he saw the shed on fire at the Witten's home and immediately sprang into action by calling 911 and banging on the front door.
"I was pretty nervous for them. The main thing, I just wanted to make sure everybody was okay, or at least try to get them out the house," said Winslow.
Chris Goodrich lives across the street and heard the commotion. Knowing the Witten's personally, he met up with Tony to see what was going on.
"I noticed that the whole entire backyard was glowing. I threw on a pair of shorts, unfortunately, I didn't throw on a pair of shoes. As soon as you step off the side porch, you can feel the heat from the fire, the flames are hitting the house, and you can see like the siding and stuff starting to melt and fall off," said Goodrich.
Knocking and ringing the doorbell wasn't working. That's when Chris and Tony started kicking the front door.
"I started trying to kick in the door, and as soon as he saw me kicking it, he joined in. We just were taking turns kicking it. It's a lot harder to kick a door in than than you think," said Goodrich.
"We both kicked the door so we can actually help them, get everybody out the house safely. So I do thank God for Chris, though, and I'm glad everybody was okay," said Winslow.
Kicking the door open is what worked and woke up the Witten's.
"Neither one of us woke up until they crashed through the front door, and the noise of the glass breaking and the door being busted open is what woke me up. I came running down the stairs, and they said, 'The house is on fire! Get out! Get out!',", said Carl Witten.
Fire crews arrived shortly after and put out the fire.
"Chris and Tony, they're our heroes," said Media Witten.
The Wittens had spoken to Chris, who lives across the street, since that night, especially because he also got nine stitches from cutting his toe on glass from the door. But Wednesday was the first time they'd seen Tony since that night.
"He stuck out his hand for a handshake, and I said, 'Oh no! After what you did for us, I need a hug'," said Carl Witten.
"Really grateful that he was okay," said Winslow.
For Tony and Chris, they're thankful everything turned out OK and just hope that someone else out there would do the same thing for them in a time of need.
"I just did the same thing I would hope anybody else would do for me. Tony, him alerting everybody and drawing attention to the fire, I think that's the big savior moment," said Goodrich.
"If it was me on the other hand, I would want somebody to help me or my family out. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about," said Winslow.
For the Witten's, what Tony and Chris did shows exactly the people they are.
"It just really says something to me about their character. It's just another one of those things that I know that God had them in that place for us," said Media Witten.
A heroic moment that the Witten's will never forget. The two also want to thank the Elizabeth City Fire Department for its quick response to putting out the fire that ended up saving their home.
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