VIDEO: Batesville Firefighters Have A Special Gift For Boy They Rescued

By Mike Perleberg (Batesville, Ind.) - It was a touching moment in Batesville that wouldn’t have happened if not for two firefighters’ heroics. Two firefighters who saved Jose Saldana from an apartment fire on February 6 reunited with the 12-year-old on Monday. Trevor Fischmer and Andy Gerdowski presented Saldana and his mother with a special quilt representing all the agencies who responded to that fire. “Thank you. I can’t thank you enough ever. Ever. What you guys is just unbelievably amazing,” Jose’s mother told the firefighters. Jose, his family, and friends then got to get a look inside the Bateville fire truck. Saldana was home sick the morning of the fire, and collapsed before he was able to escape the burning building. Fischmer and Gerdowski found and carried him out. He was released from the hospital after several days of being treated for smoke inhalation. The fire destroyed the apartment building at Peral and Walnut streets, displacing nine families. Citizens, businesses, and the city government came together to gather a bunch of donations for those victims. The agencies that responded to the fire and were on Saldana's quilt include Batesville Fire Department, Greensburg Police, Oldenburg Eagle Fire Department, Morris Volunteer Fire Department, Napoleon Volunteer Fire Department, Sunman Fire Department, Batesville Police, and the Ripley County Sheriff's Office. RELATED STORIES: 12-Year-Old Saved From Batesville Apartment Fire On Road To Recovery Batesville Comes Through With Donations For Fire Victims VIDEO: Batesville Apartment Building Destroyed By Fire; Firefighters Saved Boy Nine Families Displaced By Batesville Apartment Building Fire