Phoenix mom Claudia Jiminez and her two daughters woke up just before 4 AM to a nightmare when a fire engulfed their apartment. With the front door blocked by the blaze, they were trapped, so Jiminez cried out for help through a second-story window.
Fox 10 TV reports that’s when Joe Hollins, a homeless man who sleeps in the woods behind the complex, raced to respond to the cries.
Hollins positioned himself below the window and instructed Jiminez to drop her children and pets down to him. One by one, Hollins caught one-year-old Valerie, eight-year-old Natalie, and the family's two dogs. Jiminez hesitated before jumping herself, but Hollins reassured her, saying, "I got you. Don't worry." She jumped and was safely caught by Hollins, shortly before the fire department arrived to combat the blaze.
In the aftermath, Jiminez expressed her overwhelming gratitude for Hollins, calling him her family's "angel," while the humble hero deflected the praise, saying, "Those are children." Although the family lost everything in the fire, their community is now rallying to raise funds to help them get back on their feet.
Photo: Getty Images