PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Plymouth Township man is out of the hospital Monday night after both he and his wife were rescued from a fire in their condominium last week.
It happened early Wednesday morning while the couple was sleeping. Trapped in their home and struggling to find the exit, four police officers were first on the scene and rushed to save them, with the rescue caught on body camera footage.
Bodycam footage below shows officers rescuing couple from fire in Plymouth Township:
Since being released last week, thousands of people have seen the video, however, few would have the same reaction as Chris Courtney.
“It was pretty emotional. Incredible," Courtney said. "We're obviously grateful to the Plymouth Township police that got there before the fire department and did their job.”
What Courtney saw in that video was his aunt and uncle, Doug and Judy Courtney, fighting through smoke as they were pulled to safety. He also saw the clutter inside the home, which firefighters and police say made the rescue and the couple's escape a challenge.
“We knew they collected things, to put it mildly," Chris Courtney said."To what degree? We didn't know.”
Chris Courtney and his family are now sharing an online fundraiser and collecting donations to help Doug and Judy recover. They are also accepting donations in person at their family business that's located at 930 W. Ann Arbor Trail in Plymouth.
"They have to rebuild," Chris Courtney said. "Unfortunately, they do not have insurance. That's why the GoFundMe is set where it's at because they need to start over with everything.”
Chris Courtney says Doug and Judy are longtime and well-known Plymouth-area residents, having worked in the family real estate business for more than 30 years. He says his uncle has a huge heart and is feeling that love right back.
“The outpouring of support has been incredible," Chris Courtney said. "We're very grateful and thankful for that.”
By sharing this story, Chris Courtney hopes he can help his aunt and uncle, but he also hopes it will help other families in similar situations before it’s too late.
“We offered help in the past," Chris Courtney said. "So if you have someone in your family who is in the same situation my aunt and uncle were in, I don't care what it takes you need to do, what you need to do to help those people.”
