Angela Coleman, an African American mother from Wayne County, North Carolina, is being hailed as a hero after saving her children and 5-year-old granddaughter from a deadly apartment fire.
Coleman leapt from a third-floor window to escape the flames, suffering severe injuries but ensuring her family survived.
“It was just that fast, within seconds. It was so scary,” Coleman recalled in an interview with CBS17.
The blaze broke out at Adair Apartments in the Rosewood community near Goldsboro, destroying the building, leaving 50 residents homeless, and sending four people to the hospital. A week later, the charred structure still stands as a haunting reminder, its roof collapsed and windows blown out.
A Split-Second Decision to Save Lives
Coleman, now recovering from a fractured back and a broken leg, described the terrifying moment smoke filled the stairwell, trapping her inside.
Her daughter first spotted smoke outside. When she opened the front door, flames surged upward from the second floor, blocking any chance of escape. Coleman rushed to wake her son, who managed to dive from the apartment in panic. That left Coleman and her 5-year-old granddaughter, Jourdyn, trapped in the smoke-filled unit.
Thinking quickly, Coleman wrapped towels around their faces to filter the air. She then carried Jourdyn to the bedroom window, where neighbors had gathered below. With no other option, she dropped her granddaughter into the crowd’s arms before climbing out herself.
Coleman held on as long as she could before losing her grip and falling. The impact left her seriously injured, but she said she had no time for hesitation:
“I had to think fast. It was no ‘can’t think and don’t know what to do.’ No time for that. I had to think quick.”
Community Rallies in Support
The fire destroyed all of Coleman’s belongings, leaving her family with nothing. A GoFundMe campaign has since raised nearly \$1,000 to help them rebuild.
Despite her injuries, Coleman is grateful her children and granddaughter survived. Both her son and Jourdyn were treated for minor injuries and are now home. Investigators later determined the fire was accidental.
Coleman’s bravery in the face of disaster has drawn praise from the local community, many calling her a symbol of courage and sacrifice.
