Hero firefighter honored for saving 5-year-old girl from fire

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — The FDNY held its annual Medal Day ceremony Wednesday, and some of New York’s bravest were honored for their acts of heroism.

As CBS2’s Dave Carlin reports, colleagues, friends and family gathered at a stadium in Queens to honor New York City’s bravest.

Hero firefighter Abraham Miller, of Ladder Company 23, was called to a six-story building on fire in Washington Heights on Sept. 29 and, within three minutes, rescued a 5-year-old girl from a window with a rope rescue.

His partner held the rope because there was nothing to tie it on to.

For his bravery, he was awarded the Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci Jr. Medal, plus the New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal.

“She’ll be able to grow up, live a healthy life,” Miller said.

He says the credit also goes to his fellow firefighters on that call, some of whom received medals as well.

Back on the day it happened, he was also humble about the risks he took to save the girl.

“[We saw] the little hands, the little girl’s hands on the window guards,” Miller said at the time. “We were able to punch through the window and grab the child out of the window.”

Miller’s 8-year-old son, Elijah, was at Wednesday’s ceremony.

“I’m proud,” he said. “How he saved a 5-year-old girl.”

“It’s a combination of training, being prepared, having the guts to do something and a little bit of luck also,” Miller said.

The medal given to Miller honors Peter Ganci, who was chief of department when he died on 9/11.

Wednesday’s Medal Day ceremony was the FDNY’s largest public event since the beginning of the pandemic. Thunderous applause and cheers of more than 1,000 people saying to the medal recipients, “Well done, brave protectors.”

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