A heartwarming story out of Winterville, Georgia, features a courageous act of heroism. David McConnell, who had been taking a nap, awoke to strange “popping” sounds coming from his kitchen. Ignoring them, he went back to sleep, but was soon startled by the sound of his fire alarm blaring. As smoke quickly filled his home, he made his way to the front door, only to find the storm door was locked.

Just as McConnell began to panic, an unexpected rescuer appeared. Dylan Betts, driving home from work, saw the smoke billowing from McConnell’s house. Without hesitation, he stopped, ran to the door, and kicked it open.

Betts ventured through the thick smoke, calling for McConnell. “Mr. David, luckily, heard my voice, and he came right to me,” Betts recalled in an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta. He successfully pulled McConnell out to safety, offering him fresh air just as emergency responders arrived.

When asked what motivated him to risk his life for a stranger, Betts simply said, “Why not? That’s America.” McConnell and his family were deeply moved by Betts’ bravery, with his youngest daughter now lovingly referring to him as “our hero.”