x
Breaking News
More () »

Two people honored for pulling teens from burning car in Dauphin County

LOWER SWATARA TWP., DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. — Two people were honored for their acts of heroism in Dauphin County. The pair risked their lives to save 2 teena...

LOWER SWATARA TWP., DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. -- Two people were honored for their acts of heroism in Dauphin County.

The pair risked their lives to save 2 teenagers in grave danger back in 2016.

Call it fate, destiny, or just being in the right place at the right time.

"I saw a car drive by, and I had a feeling like I need to turn down this way, and I was saying in this in my head, and my sister was like, 'where are you going?', and I was like, 'I need to turn down this road,'" said Jennifer Dixon of Lower Swatara Township.

Dixon is talking about Stoner Drive, where things took a scary turn November 25, 2016... danger near Aaron Young's home.

Young says he heard a loud noise outside his home, and normally, he would write something like that off -- but not that night.

"I walked outside, and I could see an orange glow against the trees, so I knew something was on fire," said Young.

That orange glow? A burning car, with two teens, Joey Keating and Scott Shaffer, trapped inside.

"I started panicking, and I said, 'Mom, we got to get them out, they're going to die. I don't want them to die,'" explained Dixon.

Young says he ran down his long driveway and soon realized the pair needed more than just hands to get the teens out.

So, he ran back up it to his barn, and grabbed a sledgehammer.

That's when he says he hopped onto his four wheeler and drove back down to the vehicle.

"I kicked the back passenger side window," explained Dixon. "I kicked it three times, and finally, the third time, it shattered."

Dixon then climbed inside the burning car and crawled under flames to get to Joey.

With the help of her mother, she was able to drag Joey from the car to safety.

They used a sweatshirt to put out the flames on his pants.

Young reached through the car's shattered window and pulled Scott to safety.

When asked how he did it? Young responded, "I guess it's just instinct and having faith in your ability to do something."

Their life saving efforts were recognized in front of family, friends, and members of the community - two Carnegie Medals for Extraordinary Heroism.

One mother who says she's eternally grateful.

"There is no doubt, that without Jennifer, Joey wouldn't be here," said Rachelle Keating, Joey's mother. "There is no doubt he wouldn't be here. He was trapped. He wasn't going to get out, and Jen came. Thank God."

Both Young and Dixon humbly say what they did that night was only right.

Both teenagers did spend several weeks in the hospital but have fully recovered from their injuries.

Loved ones say that time in the hospital was nothing compared to what could've happened if Dixon and Young weren't there that night.

Before You Leave, Check This Out