Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Local Hero dies 65 years ago today!

Joseph Humphrey
1920 - 1946
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13 (King James Version)

65 years ago today, Joseph Humphrey of Kellum, NC, became a local hero... Not for his love of country and 4 years of service in the Pacific with the US Army during World War II but his willingness to sacrifice his life to save a four year old girl and her mother from a house fire early on the morning of March 22, 1946.

He saved the small girl by throwing her out the window and rushed back to save the woman but to no avail... he and the woman died that night from injuries incurred by the fire.

The little girl he saved is alive today and will celebrate her 69th birthday this October. The little girl is my mom, Maggie (Minnie) Humphrey Rosage... the woman was my grandmother, Minnie Hewitt Humphrey... and Joe was my grandfather... my hero!

2 comments:

Moss said...

Heartbreaking story, but beautifully written... What a lovely tribute!

Bernie Rosage Jr. said...

Carla... you are so kind... thanks for dropping by.
Bernie