Retired Marine Hailed Hero for Pulling Man from Burning Home & Saving Dozens of Animals
It’s hard to believe that something so ferocious could have emerged from something so small. Authorities have told the Washington Post and other news sources that California’s deadly Carr fire was possibly started by a car.
Evidently, a single vehicle may have experienced some sort of mechanical issue. That sparked a blaze that ignited on July 23 and has since been spreading rapidly, causing massive chaos and widespread destruction across California’s Shasta County area.
The Carr fire actually doubled in magnitude overnight. Early on it grew to nearly 81,000 acres — practically the size of Philadelphia.
To date, the fire has claimed multiple lives. This further underscores the deadly menace of a blaze that Cal Fire Chief Brett Gouvea described as “extremely dangerous and moving with no regard to what’s in its path.”
President Trump has declared a state of emergency for all affected areas. But as frantic civilians are forced to flee, other good Samaritans have come charging in.
One of those heroes is named Tucker Zimmerman. He’s a retired U.S. Marine who has placed his own life in jeopardy to save dozens of others.
A tractor equipment salesman by trade, Zimmerman has been credited with rescuing numerous horses and other animals to date. He’s also saved the life of at least one human being.
Zimmerman rescued another man from a burning house and kept him safe until emergency responders arrived.
“I actually went into a neighborhood and every house was on fire,” Zimmerman told WKGO-TV. “I got him pulled out, protected him with a garden hose until firefighters arrived. They took over, but I got his American flag and gave it to his wife because I promised that to her.”
Thanks to his occupation, Zimmerman was able to procure a large trailer. He’s been voluntarily driving into the evacuation zone, and loading up this trailer with horses, livestock, and other terrified animals.
Zimmerman then makes a beeline for ranches, stables, and rodeo grounds owned by other helpful civilians. They’ve offered up their own properties as sanctuaries for these stranded and exhausted creatures.
The former soldier has gotten precious little sleep himself, as he works against the clock to save anyone he can. But through it all, he’s remained incredibly focused and humble.
“I’m just the guy who moves stuff around,” he modestly told WKGO-TV.
Others, however, are singing his praises. Noah Urban, whose six-year-old horse was rescued by Zimmerman, proclaims that the selfless good Samaritan has “restored my faith in humanity.”
“It would be like losing your children,” Urban said of the helpless creatures Zimmerman is wrangling to safety. “If you had to leave them behind, I can’t even think about it.”
And speaking of children, even youngsters have committed themselves to assisting these rescue efforts in some small way. A little girl known as “Gracious Gracie,” for example, has been handing out breakfast burritos to weary firefighters and other emergency personnel.
These tiny sparks of support and kindness have grown into a sweeping blaze themselves. The Carr fire threatens to incinerate nearly everything in its path, but the human spirit remains brightly resilient.
As the ruthless inferno continues unabated, an anxious nation continues to watch and pray. But its faith is sustained by a network of noble heroes — unassuming citizens like Tucker Zimmerman, who have banded together to help safeguard total strangers and fan the flames of hope.
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