Bridgeport coach risks life to save young boy from house fire
BRIDGEPORT, Wash. — A Bridgeport High School coach rushed into the flames of a burning home to save his fiance’s young son.
It’s thanks to his heroic actions that the boy is alive today. Now, both are recovering at Harborview Medical Center.
It was early Friday morning when Tara Martin work up and saw her house was on fire. She quickly woke up her fiance, Pat McFadden, who dashed into the flames to save her 8-year-old son, Tommy.
McFadden and Tommy escaped the home. Both suffered burns, but were alive.
Word of McFadden’s heroic actions spread quickly in such a small town. No one was surprised to hear what he had done.
“He’s that type of guy. He’ll stand up for anybody and go take care of them,” said Bridgeport School District Superintendent Scott Sattler.
McFadden has a long history in the town of Bridgeport. He graduated from the high school where he was a star student and athlete.
“He was a 4.0 student. High expectations for himself and everyone around him. He was an exceptional athlete in football, basketball and track,” said Principal Tamra Jackson. Jackson was also McFadden’s English teacher when he attended Bridgeport High School in the late 80’s.
Now, McFadden spends his days instilling those same high expectations in Bridgeport High’s athletes.
“Intense. That’s one word. Intense. He pushes us, and it’s a good thing,” said Edgar Alcantara, a senior and captain on the basketball team.
McFadden pushes his athletes to excel both on and off the court. Senior captain Hugo Santana takes that to heart, serving as a volunteer firefighter in his community. He’s now more inspired than ever to continue following his dreams of being a firefighter.
“I want to be that person who goes in to save a life, just like he did,” said Santana.
The Bridgeport basketball team is fighting their way to the district tournament in February. They say they just hope to work hard and make their coach proud.
McFadden told his colleagues his goal is to heal and make it back to Bridgeport in time for districts.
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