Phoenix Residents Receive Award For Saving Kids From Fire

PHOENIX — Two Phoenix men who were in the right place at the right time this past July were honored for their acts of heroism Friday.

FOX Nation, the streaming wing of FOX News Channel, hosted its second annual Patriot Awards Friday. Phillip Blanks and D'Artagnan Alexander were just two of the honorees.

Blanks and Alexander both saved children, Roxxi and Jameson Wood, from a deadly apartment fire in July. Blanks caught the three-year-old boy as his mother dropped him from an apartment balcony to save his life, and Alexander ran into the burning building to save the eight-year-old girl. Their mother, Rachel Long, did not survive.

You can watch a clip of their appearance during the show here, when the two men, who did not know each other before the fire, met virtually with Long's parents, James and Jessica Wood.

"I'm just glad we were able to be there," Blanks told the grandparents.

James called the two men their "forever family" and thanked them for rescuing their grandchildren.

Blanks and Alexander also presented the family with a $5,000 scholarship for both children, which the network made an even $10,000.

Jameson had extensive burns and Roxxi required multiple surgeries, according to a GoFundMe set up by Long's family after the fire.

The Patriot Awards showcased and awarded America’s heroes, including military veterans and first responders, among other inspirational figures. The streaming network hosted its first Patriot Awards in November 2019, when the event raised over $50,000 dollars for Folds of Honor, a non-profit organization providing scholarships to children and spouses of fallen and disabled service members.

Editor's Note: Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.