A Family In Danger
In the early hours on the morning of July 11th in the city of Lafayette, Indiana, Nick Bostic noticed a house on fire while driving through a neighborhood. As told in this article, he immediately stopped his car and ran into the burning home to alert anyone inside who may be in danger.
He found an 18-year-old woman babysitting her three younger siblings as well as a teenage friend of the family. The babysitter was able to get three of the children out but after hearing a faint voice, Bostic then searched the burning and smoke-filled home and located the remaining child, a 6-year-old girl name Kaylani.
A Heroic Rescue
Holding her in his arms, he broke out a second-floor window with his arm and jumped to the ground saving Kaylani’s life. He was then met by first-responders who treated him for injuries and smoke inhalation. Bostic was released from the hospital two days later.
A police body camera video of the rescue and medical treatment is shown below. After watching the riveting video below, I will then provide five subsequent lessons on heroic leadership.
As promised, the following are five lessons we learn about heroic leadership from Nick Bostic and the video above.
People Who Run Into Burning Buildings While Others Are Running Out Are Heroes
It is in moments like this when we should all remember that our first responders do things very similar to this every single day. Their commitment to serve and level of bravery is indescribable. The men and women who make up our armed forces, police, correctional officers, fire and rescue, and medical personnel deserve our utmost respect, funding, and support.
Heroes Are People Of Action, Not Just Words
Bostic could have easily called 9-1-1 as he headed to his destination and reported a house fire. Others may have stopped and watched. I may be wrong but I feel this is what the average citizens would do if faced with a similar situation.
However, there was something innately grafted into Bostic’s character that when he came upon a burning house and the potential danger faced by those inside, his involvement required more than a phone call or being a bystander. He needed to personally get involved at a deeper level, a level which would cost him something. Bostic needed to take a risk and engage the issue immediately.
He told WLFI-TV, “I slammed on the brakes, I turned the steering wheel, I did a 180. I ran into the back of the house and I was yelling for anybody. Four faces, three or four faces, came out the top.”
Heroes Are More Concerned With The Safety Of Others Than Their Own
Bostic cared more about those in need than himself while driving down the road. And he still cared more about those in need than himself afterwards. When Bostic and the young girl made it safely to the street, his first response was not about his injured arm or difficulty breathing due to smoke inhalation. He asked the first responders, “Is the baby OK? Please tell me the baby’s OK.” He was concerned about the baby.
Heroism Comes With A Significant Cost
People love the perks of leadership but so few are willing to pay the price. Bostic paid a significant physical price to help rescue those in the house. But as he told WLFI-TV, “It was all worth it. I kept reminding myself what a small sacrifice. This temporary pain … it’s so worth it.”
David Barrett, the four siblings’ father, would agree. He told The Washington Post, “He’s a real hero, and my daughter’s a real hero for waking the kids up. I don’t like to think about what might have happened if Nick hadn’t shown up. I’m grateful beyond words.”
As we also heard in the video, a police officer on the scene said, “You did good dude.” Yes he did. Bostic did really, really good.
A Generous Act Of Heroism Is Met By A Generous Response
Bostic cared enough to give up his time and personal agenda to stop and help a family in desperate need. He then risked his life by running into a burning home. Bostic physically injured himself breaking out a window with his arm. He then jumped from the same second-floor window. Bostic inhaled unhealthy levels of smoke, suffered first-degree burns, and spent time in the hospital. These were extraordinary examples of bravery and generosity.
Unfortunately, Bostic’s stay in the hospital resulted in sizable medical expenses. However, no need to worry. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “It is one of the true compensations of this life that a man cannot help another, without also helping himself.” As of July 20th, a GoFundMe page set up to cover his medical expenses had already raised more than $470,000. Bostic will also be honored by the city in the near future.
No one knows if one day, one of us reading this post may unexpectedly be faced with the need to perform a similar act of heroism. May we have the same innate character, bravery, and generosity of Nick Bostic.
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