Juan Acosta was resting in his home on the second floor of the Stone Manor apartments in Northwest Dallas with his older brother and dog on September 5 when he heard a commotion from outside. He figured it was the neighborhood kids playing, but the noise grew louder and eventually turned into a banging.

With a lingering smell of smoke filling the air, Acosta went into the hallway to look out the window when he saw flames. A three-alarm fire was sweeping through the complex. His first instinct was to grab his dog, Polo, and wake up his brother.

All three of them huddled in Acosta’s room to escape the flames. Acosta immediately thought of how they could escape through the window. He picked up his hoverboard and tried to smash it against the window to break the glass. It didn’t work, and the fire was drawing closer. Using all his might, Acosta was able to break the glass with a punch from his fist.

Acosta’s brother grabbed a mattress and threw it out the window so they could land safer than on the ground alone. As they yelled for help, they were able to grab the attention of a neighbor who adjusted the mattress on the ground. Acosta first threw Polo out the window, and the neighbor below caught him to ensure the dog’s safety. Acosta’s brother jumped next followed by Acosta.

Once he landed safely, Acosta noticed blood coming from his hand and arm. His fist first started bleeding when he smashed the window, while glass shards from the window cut his arm as he leaped through the window to safety.

“We were scared, but we had to make it. No matter what it took.” Acosta said.

Acosta’s injuries landed him in the hospital, giving his mother a scare when she received the phone call telling her that her son was in the hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Acosta were at work when they received a call from their neighbors that a fire had broken out in the apartment complex and reached her unit.

“Salí rápido para buscar dónde estaban mis hijos,” Mrs. Acosta said. “Solo pensaba en mis hijos y en su bienestar.”  

Translated to English, “I left rapidly to find where my sons were. I only thought about my children and their well-being.”

Acosta received stitches for his injuries. After he was released, he and the rest of the displaced members of his family stayed at their cousin’s house for the night. The next day the Acosta family visited the American Red Cross shelter that opened to give residents affected by the fire a safe place to stay and to provide for their immediate needs.

“Gracias por atendernos y por su compasión,” Mrs. Acosta said. “Las cosas van y vienen, pero lo más importante es nuestra vida.”

Translated to English, “Thank you for attending to us and your compassion towards us. Things come and go, but the most important thing is our lives.”