We all like to believe that if the time came when we needed to be heroes, we’d jump at the chance to help someone without hesitation. However, many of us would freeze with fear, especially in a situation where we might have to give our lives to save others.

The danger of losing their own lives wasn’t enough to keep Darius Dillard and Nate Williams from sacrificing everything to save a family they’d never met before.

The two cousins were hanging out in their Rochester, New York, neighborhood when they noticed clouds of black smoke coming out of a second-story window at a house across the street. Darius and Nate didn’t think much of it as they dashed across the street to the front door of the house, which was quickly engulfed in flames. The daring cousins were not deterred by the closed door. They stomped on it and dashed into a home that was rapidly filled with dense, black smoke.

Darius and Nate discovered a family on the second level attempting to retrieve their possessions rather than fleeing. The wise young men demanded that the family depart immediately, regardless of their material possessions. The cousins realized they didn’t have much time after seeing the extent of the fire from outside the house.

The family fled while the cousins attempted to put out the fire, but the smoke became too heavy and began to strangle them. The guys wisely departed the property.

The local fire department responded quickly. The deputy chief of the Rochester Fire Department congratulated the cousins for their bravery but warned others that entering a burning structure without proper equipment or training might result in serious injury or death.

Darius and Nate emphasized to Rochester first that they were not heroes and that they merely did for other people what they would like someone to do for them. Although they are humble and do not want to be labeled heroes for their acts, their community is in awe of their bravery and courage in such a difficult scenario.