LYNNWOOD — Violet Brown, 87, said it was "just a miracle" that Bruce Markham and Byron Strolberg happened to be driving by her home at 10:15 a.m. on April 8 as flames were racing through the house and smoke was pouring out of the door.
Brown was trapped on the back porch, up a steep, narrow flight of stairs.
On Tuesday, Brown got to thank the two men who saved her life at a reception at Lynnwood Fire Department headquarters. Her two daughters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren were with her.
"They really saved me, I couldn’t have gotten down the stairs without them," she said. "It really was just a miracle."
Markham, 57, of Lynnwood was driving by the house in the 16900 block of 44th Avenue W. and noticed smoke coming from the front door. He turned around to come back, he said.
"There was fire through the windows and glass was breaking," Markham said.
"I ran around back and saw you at the back door, so I ran up the stairs to get you down," he told Brown. "You sat there, and I said, ‘No — you have to get out now.’ "
Brown, who was disoriented and suffering from smoke inhalation at the time, said she thought, "Who does he think he is?"
Markham replied with a smile: "I am your angel."
As Markham and Brown got halfway down the stairs, Byron Strolberg, 31, of Arlington ran up the stairs to help the rest of the way.
"With one of us on each arm, we brought her down," he said.
Lynnwood Fire Chief Gary Olson said "these are the types of people you want in your community. They are heroes."
Brown’s great-grandson, Tim Brand, 16, of Marysville was there to thank the two men, and all the firefighters.
"I’m just glad to know there are people still out there willing to risk their lives to save someone else’s life," he said.
Olson said fire investigators believe a discarded cigarette may have caused the fire that destroyed the house.
Reporter Pam Brice: 425-339-3439 or brice@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
