Man who saved 89-year-old from burning car on Christmas now praised for saving couple
A man who helped pull an 89-year-old driver from a burning car on Christmas is being credited with saving lives yet again in East Tennessee.
In the latest instance, Brandon Keller found two seniors with disabilities who went missing Jan. 27 in frigid temperatures, according to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office.
He was presented with a Citizen Lifesaving Award on Feb. 3 — his second such award in four weeks — “for going above and beyond in helping fellow citizens,” Sheriff Jess Cassidy said in a news release.
“On the morning of January 27th, Brandon Keller was on his way to work and noticed a vehicle on the side of Highway 36. Upon taking a closer look, Keller noticed a female lying on the ground beside of the vehicle,” officials said.
“It was cold that morning and Keller stopped to see if he could be of assistance. ... The missing male was inside the vehicle and cold. Keller placed the male inside of his vehicle to warm up and then began assisting the female.”
Deputies arrived to find Keller “placing the female inside of his vehicle to warm up.”
The couple have “special needs” and went missing in Kingsport, Tennessee, the day before, officials said. A Silver Alert had been issued in hopes of finding them in the region.
“If you recognize Keller, that’s because he and his father were recently presented the Citizen Lifesaving Award by Sheriff Cassidy for their efforts in pulling a man from a burning vehicle on Christmas Day,” the department said.
In that case, Keller and his dad, Tim Keller, were traveling in Blountville when they saw a vehicle overturned in the road.
“Upon checking the vehicle, they discovered that someone was inside ... and the car was smoking,” officials said.
“The driver of the vehicle, an 89-year-old man, was strapped upside down in the seat belt. The Kellers sprang into action and worked to remove the driver from the vehicle as the vehicle began to catch fire. The Kellers successfully removed the driver (who) survived the incident.”
Brandon Keller, who is in the advertising business, hasn’t commented on the latest award on social media.
But his wife, Rachel Fritts Keller, calls herself his biggest fan.
“From the time I first got to know Brandon I notice his compassion for others,” she wrote Feb. 10 on Facebook. “He would go above and beyond to always help anyone around him. He is truly the most selfless person.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Man who saved 89-year-old from burning car on Christmas now praised for saving couple."