A community honored a teen for a valiant effort after a fatal fire last month. Michael Haney, 15, received an award for bravery after his work to save his family from a fire.
Haney remembers that night a month ago that changed his family's life forever. His family's home in Stockbridge caught fire.
"I remember waking up. My bed, half of it was on fire and my socks were on fire, burned the bottom of my foot and blistered it," said Haney.
Before Haney got himself out of the house, he made sure his parents were awake. He also tried to get his sister Karen to safety.
"I ran back upstairs, got my parents up. My dad was screaming for my mom to get up. My mom, she got halfway and my dad crawled in to get my mom and I was out and went back in to get my sister and I fell down behind the couch," said Haney.
"We would all have been dead because there was just too much smoke," said Michael's father.
Everyone except Karen made it out safe. So, it was with mixed feeling that the 9th grader received a medal from the Sons of the American Revolution citing his bravery.
"That's how most heroes are, they just feel it's their job to do it like a normal daily routine we would do but he did do a little more than a normal person would do," said Michael Tomme with the Sons of the American Revolution.
"Michael was very brave to risk his life to go back in after his sister. We typically wouldn't encourage people to do that but he did what he felt like he needed to do," said Henry County Fire Chief Bill Lacy.
Michael Haney said despite everything his family lost in this fire, if he had it to do all over again he would do everything the same way. That is, putting his family's safety above his own.
Doctors treated Haney for burns he suffered in the blaze. Most of the wounds healed completely except for burns and blisters to his feet.
Friday, May 24 2013 2:08 PM EDT2013-05-24 18:08:48 GMT
Authorities say more than a dozen people were injured in an accident involving a hotel shuttle bus near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Friday morning.
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Friday, May 24 2013 1:18 PM EDT2013-05-24 17:18:36 GMT
A judge has sentenced Michael Parson to the maximum of 35 years in jail for the attempted murder of his wife. On Thursday, Parson was convicted of shooting his wife, Adina, eight times in 2012.
A judge has sentenced Michael Parson to the maximum of 35 years in jail for the attempted murder of his wife. During an emotional sentencing hearing on Friday morning, Parson's mother told the court she still doesn't believe he is the shooter.
Friday, May 24 2013 1:17 PM EDT2013-05-24 17:17:11 GMT
Families of city workers are back at Atlanta City Hall this morning for a second day of protests. They're demanding bigger pay raises for police, firefighters and other first responders.
Families of city workers returned to Atlanta City Hall for a second day of protests on Friday. They say they know the city faces budget issues, but they're demanding bigger pay raises for police, firefighters and other first responders.
Friday, May 24 2013 12:10 PM EDT2013-05-24 16:10:59 GMT
More than a dozen people were hurt Friday morning when an Atlanta airport hotel shuttle bus crashed into a tractor-trailer not far from the airport.
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Friday, May 24 2013 9:52 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:52:10 GMT
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
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Friday, May 24 2013 9:23 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:23:38 GMT
A Newton County teenager and his mom received the gift of mobility on Thursday, thanks to some Good Samaritans.
A Newton County teenager and his mom received the gift of mobility on Thursday, thanks to some Good Samaritans. Tyler Head was injured in a high school wrestling tournament in December, and getting back and forth to therapy is a vital to his recovery.
