LAFAYETTE — A Lafayette pizza delivery driver who saved five children from a burning home is being awarded The Carnegie Medal, which is the highest honor for civilian heroism in the United States.
On July 11, 2022, Nicholas Bostic, 25, rescued five children from a burning home in the 220 block of Union Street.
When officers arrived to the house they found a house fully engulfed in flames so intense that emergency crews were prevented from entering the home.
That's when crews saw a man jump through the second story window, holding a 6-year-old.
Before crews arrived, Bostic explained to police how he saw the fire while driving down the street and knew he had to act.
"It was fight or flight. I knew it was only a matter of time until the house blew up, and I had been in there for a while," Bostic said.
Bostic told police he then ran to the back of the house and was able to open the back door.
He began yelling inside to alert any occupants that the house was on fire.
Bostic found four kids in the house.
After getting them outside to safety, he learned about the six-year-old that was still inside the home. Without hesitation, he ran back into the burning house, according to police.
Once he found the 6-year-old, Bostic could not find the back door, so he returned to the top level and busted out a window, and jumped in a way to avoid landing on the child.
"I was in there until either I died, or I got them all out. And I wasn't looking towards dying. I had every intention of making it out," Bostic said.
Bostic was able to get all five children out of the burning home with no injuries, however, he suffered from severe smoke inhalation and gravely cut his right arm.
Bostic is being honored with The Carnegie Medal along with 15 others who risked serious injury or death to save others.
Each of the recipients will also receive a financial grant.
