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| Rochester, NY Police officer Christine Wilson |
She may not think she is, but Rochester, NY Police officer Christine Wilson is a hero.
Wilson was off duty, driving with her mother in Henrietta, NY, when they came upon a horrific scene.
A van with several children trapped inside, engulfed in flames, at the intersection of West Henrietta Rd. and Thruway Park Drive.
The van had been struck by another vehicle, driven by 20-year old Sean Cuer, who was speeding when he ran a red light, striking the vehicle.
Wilson wasted no time.
When some ran away from the burning vehicle, Christine Wilson ran towards it, not thinking of herself, but instead of the young children trapped inside the van which was about to explode.
"I knew I had to act fast. I put on my police hat," said Wilson.
"The mother of the van jumped out of the car screaming my babies, my babies, somebody help me."
"I saw these four beautiful kids, they became my babies and I had to act fast," Wilson said.
Reaching inside the burning vehicle, Wilson released a 9-year old child's seatbelt, then saw a 6-month old strapped in her infant carrier.
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| Flame-engulfed minivan where four children were saved by RPD officer Christine Wilson, and good samaritan. |
"That little baby kept me calm. Her beautiful eyes was just looking at me and I was just like I can do this," Wilson said.
As officer Wilson felt around, trying to find a release hatch for the carrier, two year old twins were locked in their car seats as the hot minivan filled with smoke.
Barely able to see, Rochester Police officer Christine Wilson pulled the boy away from his harness.
"I gave him a good yank and he fell into my arms, thank God," said Wilson.
With the temperature inside the minivan rising, Wilson never gave up.
"It started popping the windows out! I prayed to Jesus for just a few more seconds," said Wilson.
Then, Wilson said, the next thing she recalls was her standing on the side of West Henrietta Road.
Wilson's own mother, had rescued her, from the burning van.
"She yanked me out of the van because the vehicle was on fire. As a mother she's got to save her child," Wilson said.
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| An emotional, humble officer Wilson describes good samaritan's heroic actions. |
"I was on my knees yelling and screaming to the Lord Jesus help me please because I did not get that last child," said Wilson.
Then Wilson says she saw a man.
"Some unknown man, he came running from the back of the van yelling, running towards me with that last child saying, 'I got him, I got the last child," Wilson said.
At that point the van began exploding.
Officer Wilson grabbed two of the children and ran behind a building.
Terri Fontanez praised officer Wilson's heroic actions, in saving her children.
"It means the world to me," Fontanez said.
Fontanez did not know about the mystery man who showed up and saved her child.
Rochester, NY Police officer Christine Wilson says she would like to see the children again and she would also like to meet that mystery man who showed up, then was gone so fast.
"I don't know who this guy is but he is the real hero," officer Wilson said.
"Yes, I saved three of them but this man saved the last child. I want to thank him."
Officer Wilson, I not only respect your courage, running towards and into a burning vehicle and saving trapped children, but I respect your humbleness.
Yes, you are correct, that mystery man is a hero.
And so are you.
And thanks to you officer Wilson, a mother will be planning the holidays with her children, instead of planning their funerals.
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