Edward Russell Nye helped to rescue Ronald A. Hairfield, Jr., from burning, Mechanicsville, Virginia, June 13, 2009. Hairfield, 37, was the sole occupant of a pickup truck that left a rural road, turned onto its passenger side, and caught fire at its front end. The sound of the crash alerted Nye, 28, store clerk, and another man, both of whom resided nearby. They ran to the scene, where they saw Hairfield emerge through the window of the driver’s door and shout for help. Despite high and growing flames issuing from the front of the vehicle, Nye, who was wearing only shorts, and the other man approached the pickup, grasped Hairfield by his arms, and pulled him out of the cab and to the ground. Another man joined them in taking him farther away. Hairfield was hospitalized for treatment of serious burns and other injuries and died 18 days later.
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