M. Sean Venezia

M. Sean Venezia rescued Robert E. McKinley III from burning, Danville, California, October 26, 2006. Injured, Robert, 16, remained in the driver’s seat of a sport utility vehicle that left the roadway, crashed head on into a tree, and caught fire at its front end. Flames spread beneath the vehicle and entered it at its floorboard. Venezia, 44, real estate developer, lived nearby and heard the accident. Responding to the scene, he approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, opened the front door, and, blocked by the deployed airbag, told Robert to free his safety belt. Venezia then reached into the vehicle and grasped Robert under his arms. Although Robert outweighed him, Venezia pulled him from the vehicle and dragged him up to the roadway. Flames grew to engulf the vehicle, destroying it. Robert required hospitalization for treatment of his injuries, which included burns to one leg. He recovered.