Donald E. Yost, Jr., died attempting to save Jordan K. Smith from burning, Rutland, Ohio, April 13, 2000. Jordan, 4, was in a second-floor bedroom of the two-story house in which she was a guest after fire broke out on the first floor, in the living room, at night. Yost, 21, teacher, was in a bedroom off the living room when he awoke to the fire. He and his girlfriend immediately ran upstairs and entered the room in which Jordan and the girlfriend’s two young children were sleeping and was last seen holding Jordan as his girlfriend secured her children. As flames advanced rapidly to engulf the dwelling, Yost’s girlfriend fled to safety with her children. Firefighters found the bodies of Yost and Jordan among debris in the vicinity of the staircase of the house, which was destroyed. They had died of effects of the fire.
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