In 2019, a 35-year-old man from West Philadelphia became a hero after climbing 19 storeys down a burning high-rise building to save his mother.
Jermaine, whose last name was not made public, was faced with a terrifying situation when a fire broke out at the Holden Tower on Holden Street on the night of July 18.
The blaze started around 9:28 p.m., and emergency services were flooded with multiple calls reporting that residents were trapped in apartments on several floors.
Jermaine’s sister had called him from the building, telling him that their mother, Sheila, was trapped inside. Sheila, 65, was bedridden and unable to escape on her own. Without hesitation, Jermaine rushed to the scene.
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However, when he arrived, police and fire officials had blocked the entrance to the building, preventing him from going inside.
I actually climbed up because they were saying she was trapped in the apartment,” Jermaine later explained to WPVI. “The first cop said the whole building was on fire. My sister was out there, my mother not out there. I [didn’t] know what else to do but go up and get her.
Determined to save his mother, Jermaine made the decision to scale the building himself.
I took it upon myself, because that’s my mother. There’s no limits to my mother.
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He managed to climb up and reached the 15th floor, where he found Sheila and her boyfriend safe on a balcony. The flames hadn’t reached that floor, and Sheila explained that the police had instructed her to stay put.
With his mother safe, Jermaine now faced the challenge of getting back down. Videos taken at the scene showed him wearing a green shirt and jeans as he carefully climbed 15 stories down the building. He used chain-link fencing and the railings of each apartment floor to guide his descent.
NBC 10 pilot Jeremy Haas described Jermaine’s descent, saying:
He climbed about 200 feet down on what looked like basically chain-link fencing and then the railings of each apartment building.
Jermaine made it to the ground without injury, and an officer allowed him to leave the scene. His mother, who was stunned by his bravery, was safe and unharmed. Four other residents were treated for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, and three police officers were taken to local hospitals for smoke inhalation but were later released.
Jermaine explained what pushed him
Jermaine explained his selfless actions:
All [for] my mom’s safety. Period. I wasn’t worried about mine at all. I just wanted to make sure she was cool.” He went on to say, “She can’t get up out of the bed or walk around … so if it’s a fire, she’s stuck … I’m not just gonna sit there and let my mom die and y’all telling me I can’t get in the building.
Having once lived in the Holden Tower and with experience as a construction worker, Jermaine was able to scale the building with ease.
His incredible act of bravery was recognised by many, but his mother, Sheila, wasn’t surprised by his determination. Jermaine shared:
She was more shocked. She’s not surprised by the things that I do for her. She knows I’ll go over and beyond for her.
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This remarkable story of a son’s love and devotion to his mother will be remembered as an example of true courage.
