HIGH RIDGE, Mo. — The quick actions of a babysitter during a St. Louis area housefire saved two toddlers and a dog in early July, and footage of her heroism has gone viral with 85 million views — as of Aug. 31 — on a YouTube Short of the footage.
The viral video was created nearly a month after the fire when 15-year-old Savannah Strother was recognized with a Hometown Hero award by the High Ridge Fire Protection District.
The 15-second clip shows the interior view of a home's front door. The video starts with the door closed, but bright orange light can be seen shining through the door's glass portal. A dog, obviously alarmed by the look of his ears, appears to be concerned by something.
Less than a second into the video, the dog barks, seemingly alarming everyone at home. The babysitter enters the frame with a 1-year-old on her hip, heading for the front door.
Flames from a spreading house fire next door can be seen as soon as the babysitter opens the door, seemingly to see what's going on.
She hesitates for less than a second before opening the front door wide and letting the dog out.
Strother steps out of the front door, and she uses another foot to keep the door propped open while assertively and calmly trying to get a 3-year-old to follow her.
"Come on. Come on," she said to the child.
Flames erupting behind her can be seen through the doorway as she tries to save him.
The child hesitates, so the babysitter reaches out and grabs his hand to pull him from danger.
Fire Chief John Barton shared his recognition of the hero's action on the fire protection district's Facebook page.
"She acted without hesitation to get a 1-year-old and 3-year-old to safety without any injuries," the fire chief said. "(She) was at a neighbor's house babysitting two small children when a massive fire broke out, involving both the house she was in and (an adjacent) house."
First responders from several agencies gathered on Aug. 5 to recognize the girl.
The High Ridge Elks Lodge gave Strother its "Citizenship Award" and a check for $500.
"I feel like I did what anyone else would do," the teenage girl told 5 On Your Side.
Strother's mom, Brittany, said she was proud but not particularly surprised by her daughter's actions.
"She is very mature. She has this little motherly instinct in her that is amazing," the proud mother said. "She is really good with her little sisters, and she is my little partner forever."