Newark, NJ mayor Cory Booker is the man. Thursday night, Booker was returning home from a television interview. He happened upon a house on fire. Someone screamed that her daughter was in the building. Over protests from his security detail, including Newark police detectives, Booker charged into the burning building and rescued the woman from the second floor, carrying her to the street below.
During the rescue, Booker says he heard an explosion and had to “punch through the flame” to get out. The woman was treated for second degree burns. Booker was treated for smoke inhalation and burns on his hands.
Booker describes the whole experience as clarifying. He says he had “religious thoughts” that he might not get out alive. He calle dit a “come to Jesus moment”.
“It was a really frightening experience for me. I didn’t think we were going to get out of there. I did not feel bravery, I felt terror. It was a very scary moment. I couldn’t breathe. It was a moment I felt very religious,” Booker said.
Booker tweeted immediately after the incident:
Thanks 2 all who are concerned. Just suffering smoke inhalation. We got the woman out of the house. We are both off to hospital. I will b ok
“Yesterday all my problems were big. And today things feel clearer,” Booker said in an interview Friday morning.
The hashtag #corybookerstories started trending on Twitter. Here are a few:
When Chuck Norris has nightmares, Cory Booker turns on the light & sits with him until he falls back asleep. #CoryBookerStories
One time I needed a kidney. Cory Booker instantly ripped out his own, handed it to me & flew away. #CoryBookerStories
Not to be outdone, @GovChristie walked from his bed to the bathroom w/out the aid of a taxpayer-funded helicopter. #CoryBookerStories
Superheroes dress up as Cory Booker on Halloween #CoryBookerStories
Cory Booker doesn’t always drink beer, but when he does, he drinks Dos Equis. #CoryBookerStories
Cory Booker doesn’t tap into the Force, the Force taps into Cory Booker. #CoryBookerStories