High school quarterback helps couple during house fire

RUSSELL, Ky. (WSAZ/Gray News) – Heading into Thanksgiving, a couple in Kentucky is thankful for a high school quarterback who stepped in to help them escape a house fire unharmed.

“It’s very heartbreaking,” Don Ratliff told WSAZ of a fire that destroyed the home he and his wife had lived in 43 years.

His wife’s caregiver alerted him to a fire on the couple’s screened-in porch Friday morning.

Ratliff tried to put the fire out himself, to no avail.

“I grabbed a fire extinguisher, and I went out there and started battling the flames, which were about waist high, and I was making no progress,” he said.

Ratliff said the flames spread quickly and reached the ceiling.

High school quarterback Logan Lundy lives in the same neighborhood and was on his way to school when he saw the home burning.

Logan rushed to help Jenny Ratliff, who has been battling an illness, get seated safely in a van out of the cold and backed a car out of the garage before flames reached it.

“I just did what anybody would do and helped them out,” Logan said. “If somebody needs help, anybody is going to go try to lend a hand.”

Don Ratliff said he’s grateful the young student-athlete was so quick to help in a tough, dangerous spot.

“He didn’t even hesitate,” Don Ratliff said. “When he saw the caregiver was struggling to get Jenny out onto the sidewalk, he just came running. It’s heartwarming to see that nowadays.”

“It was pretty scary,” Logan said.

The Ratliffs’ neighbors are pitching in to help replace items the couple lost in the fire. Don and Jenny Ratliff are staying with a family member for now.

There is no word yet on what caused the fire.

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