A sixth grader in the Rensselaer City School District was recognized and rewarded for his valor on Wednesday.

Junior Loja Guaman, 11, saved the lives of his immediate family members and several pets last month. He learned what to do through the school’s fire safety prevention program, he said.

The fire broke out before dawn on the morning of Oct. 29. Junior’s father had already left for work, but his mother and two younger sisters were still sound asleep.

Junior smelled smoke. He went down the stairs and saw fire in the kitchen. Instead of fleeing the house, he covered his face, crawled on the ground, and made it through intense flames to rescue his family.

Junior’s parents, immigrants from Ecuador, said through a translator that there are no words to describe the pride they have for their son, and they are grateful for what he did and for what the community is doing for his family. That includes food and clothing, and a $2,500 check from the Harding Mazzotti Law Firm.

Hear the fire chief discuss just how brave and heroic he says Junior had to be to pull off the rescue, by watching the video of Dan Levy’s story.