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NATHAN RUTHERFORD USED HIMSELF AS A HUMAN SHIELD TO SAVE A PENSIONER WHO HAD FALLEN DANGEROUSLY NEAR THE FLAMES 05:00, 22 May 2025 Meet the support worker who has been hailed a hero after
rescuing an elderly man from a burning garden. Nathan Rutherford used himself as a human shield to save a pensioner who had fallen dangerously near the flames which were engulfing their
wooden garden fence. The 37-year-old, who supports two people at a service in Fawdon, was indoors when team-mates Emily Norton and Cameron Robson raised the alarm from the garden on
Saturday, May 17. When Nathan went outside, he was horrified to see flames from a neighbouring garden. He rushed next door and discovered the elderly resident had fell. Nathan said:
"When I ran round and opened the back gate, I could see a Zimmer frame - and then I saw him. He was lying on his stomach, crawling towards the fire. I ran over and huddled in front of
him to shield him from the heat. "When I felt the intensity of that heat, I shouted for Emily, and together we helped him away from the flames. "It was scary to see it happening,
but in the moment, something just kicked in. I was scared for him. At first, I just wanted to stop the fire spreading but then fight or flight took over." Nathan described the heat as
"unbelievable" and praised his colleagues for acting quickly. He added: "If Emily and Cameron hadn't raised the alarm, it could have been a much worse situation. He was
quite frail, someone said he was in his 90s." While Nathan helped the neighbour escape the flames, Emily called 999 and Cameron looked after the two people supported by Lifeways inside
the house. Firefighters arrived within minutes and were able to put the blaze out. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, and the neighbour was understood to be recovering well. Danielle
Bell, who supports the team at Holly Avenue, said: "I think he's a hero. It just goes to show what kind of people we've got working here. They're amazing. You don't
hear stories like this every day – but it proves how deeply our staff care, not just about the people we support but the wider community too." Despite only being with Lifeways for a
couple of months, Nathan's instinctive response and courage has left a big impression on colleagues and neighbours alike. Amy Gilbert, Managing Director of Supported Living at Lifeways,
said: "We're so proud of Nathan and the team. They stayed calm and reacted heroically and selflessly in a dangerous situation. There’s no doubt about it, their quick thinking has
saved someone from serious harm." Article continues below JOIN OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITIES ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities. We have a number of
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