DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) — An amazing rescue is caught on camera as a mother tosses her children to firefighters from the upstairs of a burning building.
O’Sheana Harrison and her children, all under the age of 3, were trapped on the third floor of the burning building, with firefighters imploring her to get her children near the window.
“When I opened the door, it was like a wall of thick smoke,” Harrison said.
Desperate to save her children, she made the only choice she had. Des Moines Police Officer Cole Johnson was quick to act, telling the family to take a leap of faith.
One by one, Harrison tosses her three children three stories down to the waiting arms of Johnson and three other officers. The dramatic rescue is caught on his body camera.
“He was like, ‘you got to trust me,’ and I don’t trust nobody with my kids, but at that point in time all I thought was I had to get them out,” Harrison said.
The officers tried to comfort the children until they could rescue their mother.
“You guys want to go sit in the car and stay warm?” one officer asks the kids. “Hi, honey how are you? I will keep you warm. Let’s turn the heat on, alright? Your mommy is going to be OK.”
Firefighters arrived as the last child was rescued, and they managed to get Harrison out using a ladder as police and EMS took care of the children.
Now, the family is together and safe, and the officers are being hailed as heroes.
“I cant say thank you enough to them. I owe them the world because they saved my world.”
In all, four Des Moines Police officers are being praised for their efforts in saving the family. Meanwhile, officials say the fire remains under investigation.
