James Paul Goebel, Jr.

James Paul Goebel, Jr., rescued Pedro and Claudia Tienda from burning, Stockton, California, July 6, 2002. Pedro, 6, and Claudia, 7, were passengers in a sport utility vehicle, which, driven by their mother on an interstate highway, was involved in a multi-vehicle accident. Flames broke out at the vehicle’s front end and quickly spread to and throughout its cab. Motorists stopping at the scene included Goebel, 45, corrections officer. Goebel responded to the passenger side of the vehicle and, despite intense heat and dense smoke inside, extended his upper body into the cab through the opened front door. He released Pedro’s safety belt with some difficulty, then patted out flames on the boy’s clothing with his hands. Goebel lifted Pedro from the vehicle and carried him to safety. Returning, he opened the rear passenger door, felt his way through the smoke to Claudia, and released her safety belt. After using his hands to extinguish flames on her clothes, he removed her from the vehicle and carried her away. Flames engulfed the vehicle. The children’s mother and another child in the vehicle died at the scene, and three others died in one of the other vehicles involved in the accident. Pedro and Claudia suffered severe and extensive burns, which required lengthy hospitalization.