Chad W. Chichester

Chad W. Chichester rescued Karleigh M. Zmikly from burning, Sherman Township, Michigan, April 3, 2022. Zmikly, 23, was a passenger in an all-terrain vehicle that flipped onto its roof, then rolled onto its driver’s side. Flames broke out at the front end of the vehicle and spread inside. The driver exited through an opening in the plastic roof that had been torn by another in the party, but Zmikly remained inside. Chichester, 52, engineer, was in the same party and witnessed the crash. Seeing the vehicle aflame, Chichester responded to it but couldn’t initially see Zmikly due to the conditions and the roof blocking his view. Standing near the roof, Chichester reached his arms inside through the passenger-side window opening and, coming into contact with flames, grasped Zmikly under her arms. He attempted to pull her, but his grasp slipped due to his gloves melting from the blistering heat. Chichester took a step back from the vehicle, shook off his gloves, and again reached his arms inside the opening, again coming into contact with flames, and grasped Zmikly under her arms. He pulled Zmikly through the opening and laid her onto the ground next to the vehicle. As her clothing was aflame, she rolled herself on the ground away from the vehicle. Others packed snow from the ground onto her to put out the fire and carried her farther to safety. Zmikly was flown to a hospital for treatment of severe burns, requiring multiple surgeries. Chichester, too, was taken to the hospital for treatment of severe burns to his hands and also required surgical treatment.