Maitland woman wants to thank stranger who rescued her, dog from burning home
One of the owners of a Maitland home is looking for the man who helped get her and her dog out of their burning home after an explosion Sunday morning. The fire actually caught two homes on fire.
The homeowners just happen to be the restaurant owners of Maxine's On Shine in downtown Orlando. Unfortunately, Maxine says she lost a lot of restaurant memorabilia and other things because her workroom suffered the most damage. Now that the ashes have settled, she wants to find the man who made sure she got out safely.
It was a startling start to Maxine Earhart's Sunday morning.
'There was like a bashing like really loud, and my dog started barking, I jumped up, ran down the hallway, put on my bathrobe, and I could hear a man say is anyone in there,' said Earhart.
A neighbor shared a video showing big flames and dark smoke between Maxine's house and her neighbors.
'I run outside, and I see 11foot flames and 50 foot billows of black smoke,' said Earhart.
Earhart says she could feel the heat from the fire on her face after stepping outside. She noticed it hadn't reached her house yet, so she ran back inside to try to save what she could.
'I ran down my hallway to get a go back, yes I have a go bag cause I'm ready for hurricane season, I've lived in Florida a long time,' said Earhart.
Right behind her, the man she never met before who was adamant about making sure she and her dog got out okay.
'He was like right on me, ma'am, you need to get out of the house. And I was like looking him and I remember saying I just one minute, I just need one minute,' said Earhart.
In those final moments, he helped her carry out her mom's old jewelry box, then Earhart says he disappeared. Now, she wants to find him and thank him.
'I would tell him, please come to the restaurant, I want to buy you dinner,' said Earhart.
Earhart says she's so optimistic because that's her outlook on life. She's happy no one got hurt. She's alive. Her dog's alive.
They're planning a dinner to thank the firefighters in the coming days.
Everything inside the house will have to be replaced.
Bites & Bubbles in downtown Orlando is hosting a fundraiser Monday for Earhart's.
A GoFundMe has also been made to help the Earharts.
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