11-year-old boy remembered his parents' life-saving plan when trapped in a burning house with two siblings—his quick action made him a hero
When danger strikes, age doesn't define who becomes a hero. An 11-year-old Kyler Thompson's day began like any other until a fire broke out inside his family’s home in Winchester on December 14, 2025. It was around 6:45 a.m., when Kyler’s parents were on their way to the airport to drop off his father, when the emergency unfolded. As reported by 12 On Your Side on Thursday, January 8, 2026, a space heater ignited a fire in the family’s master bedroom. The room quickly filled with smoke. In that very moment, the middle child relied on his parents' plan to get everyone out safely.
Kyler heard his sister screaming from the smoke-filled bedroom. Recalling the terrifying moment, he said, “She was scared, really bad.” Without any hesitation, he decided to put all the fire safety lessons his parents had taught him into action. He quickly guided his sister out of the house to safety, then he ran back to rescue all the pets and his older brother, Hunter, who was still asleep. Kyler recounted, “I was yelling at him, and I pushed him, and he got up. He thought I was kidding.” As soon as both brothers managed themselves outside, they ran to a neighbor’s house for help. Hunter called their parents, who immediately rushed back home understanding what was happening.
Kyler’s mother, Abby Thompson, explained, “He called, and we didn’t think it was as bad as he said it was. Well, ‘Go in,’ we thought. Maybe something sparked, or a paper might have caught fire." "If things didn’t pan out exactly how they did, then I’d be planning funerals instead of trips or Christmas or things like that,” Abby told the outlet. Later, it was found that the “boom” came from a propane tank exploding during the fire, which made the rescue more difficult. The family survived, but one of their two dogs, Bailey, tragically ran back into the house after being brought to safety. Abby shared that the emotional toll of the fire lingered for weeks. Still, the children insisted on returning to school the very next day. It brought the reality of the situation crashing down, expressed Abby. “I cried when I dropped them off,” she said.
“I don’t think it really hit me, like hit me, hit me, until I walked them up to the door and the teacher at the door just looked at me, and I lost it because I almost didn’t get the opportunity to do this,” Abby expressed. The family lost almost everything to the fire, but Abby said that she is grateful they are all together. The Thompsons were able to continue their planned trip to Florida. The community has come together to help them move forward after the ordeal. Not only for his family but for the whole city, Kyler is nothing less than a hero. However, Kyler views this sentiment a little differently. He said he had not done anything extraordinary and acted the way anyone else would have. On January 7, he was formally recognized by the city of Winchester and the Illinois State Fire Marshal for his bravery.
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