SAN ANGELO, Texas — Thomas Ndlovu stepped up when the time came.
On Wednesday, the San Angelo Police Department and the San Angelo Police Officers Coalition presented a Life Saving Award to a Ndlovu, local citizen.
On Sept. 14, San Angelo Public Safety Communications dispatched first responders to an apartment complex in the 3500 block of Wildewood Drive for a structure fire.
The fire, which was started by an electric scooter charger, began in an upstairs apartment.
Thomas Ndlovu, a resident of the complex, saw smoke coming from the apartment. Hearing the two children who lived there screaming, Thomas ran up the stairs, forced entry into the apartment and located and rescued the children by removing them from the building.
Both children suffered burns and were transported to a local hospital before being transferred for specialized treatment in San Antonio.
The San Angelo Fire Marshal's Office advised the Police Department that during their investigation, they found evidence that the children, a 10-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, had attempted to exit the apartment but were possibly unable to do so due to becoming disoriented.
"The moment we stepped out that's when I heard the noises from upstairs," Ndlovu said. "The kids were screaming, saying 'Can you please help us, we're dying here,' so I just quickly went up, kicked the door open and took them out... I did what I could do, and thank God it helped."
Ndlovu, originally from Zimbabwe, credited Ubuntu — a common cultural practice in many African communities that emphasizes the importance of community — as a driving force behind his actions.
"It's more like 'take care of your community' rather than individualism. It would have haunted me to see, to think of if things went bad, you know?"
Police Chief Travis Griffith presented Ndlovu with the award. "He kicked in the door and fought his way through the smoke," Griffith said. "And found the kids that were on the ground and was able to drag them out to safety. That is heroism. That is being a real hero. When a lot of other people would have pulled their cameras out and recorded this event, Thomas showed up and stepped up to exemplify being a hero."
Ndlovu, originally from Zimbabwe, works at Shannon as a nurse.