A United Parcel Service driver has been hailed a hero after charging into a burning home to rescue a 101-year-old woman in a dramatic incident in Santa Ana, California.
A Delivery Turned Rescue Mission
On 15 January, Willy Esquivel was completing a routine delivery when he encountered neighbours in a state of panic. Heavy smoke was billowing from the condominium of Ann Edwards, a centenarian who lives alone. The kitchen fire had triggered alarms, and neighbours were desperately trying to persuade the confused and reluctant woman to leave her home.
Spotting Esquivel in his uniform, the residents appealed to him for help. Without hesitation, the UPS driver entered the smoke-filled property. "I just did what I thought was right," Esquivel later told Los Angeles news outlet KTLA. "At the end of the day, she's someone's mother, someone's grandmother, great-grandmother."
Community Teamwork in a Crisis
Esquivel located Ann Edwards and, finding her disoriented by the thick smoke, physically carried her to safety. He took her to a neighbour's home, settled her on a couch, and comforted her while emergency services were called. "She seemed very disoriented," he recalled. "She just kept trying to talk, but she couldn't really get words out, so I told her it's OK."
As this was happening, other neighbours sprang into action. One used fire extinguishers to tackle the kitchen blaze, while another, a roofer, fetched his ladder, climbed onto the roof, and sprayed water from a garden hose into the kitchen vent to help suppress the flames.
A 'Remarkable Outcome' and Recovery
The Orange County Fire Authority later arrived, fully extinguished the fire, and took Edwards to hospital for evaluation. Her son, Rick Edwards, confirmed she remained in hospital the following day but was expected to make a full recovery. He expressed profound gratitude to her rescuer: "Tell you what, Willy – thank you. God bless you, man, for sticking with her and getting her out."
In an official statement, the Orange County Fire Authority praised the event as "a remarkable outcome made possible by quick action, teamwork and people looking out for one another in a moment of need." Despite being celebrated by colleagues and online communities, the modest driver deflected praise. "I'm just a UPS driver who was in the right place at the right time," Esquivel insisted to KTLA. "I'm just glad I was able to lend a hand when it was needed."
