PHOTO – Citizen Reunited with Elderly Man He Saved from Car Fire: ‘Truly Grateful’

“That’s what Tulsa’s about. It’s about supporting one another and caring for another. Tonight we saw an act of heroism from him. I’d be remiss not to mention how they stepped into action so quickly,” the restaurant’s David Chen commented.

The moment Curtis McLaughin, who is trained as a nurse and policeman, saw the truck catch fire, he jumped out of his own car that was sitting in line right behind the truck and ran toward it.

“He was struggling to get out, and I went and helped him get out of the car. And as soon as that, the car just… the engine, pretty much engulfed in flames,” he recalled.

Thanks to his bravery and quick thinking, he saved John Price’s life.

In a social media post on Friday, the restaurant shared a photo of the reunion and said, “We are so blessed by Curtis’ courage during the fire last week and we are truly grateful!”

Chen eventually found the Good Samaritan and asked the two men to visit the restaurant as a way to show his gratitude.

“He’s safe, and that’s all that matters,” McLaughin said. “Because people can’t be replaced, property can be. And once I found he was safe and secure, and the fire department arrived on the scene and put the fire out, then it was kind of a big sigh of relief, like it’s over now.”