A family in South Korea owes their lives to a group of airmen and soldiers who caught the mother and her children as they leapt out the fourth-floor window of a burning building on Friday.
"We were coming from eating dinner," said Senior Airman Devan Schoenewe of the 51st Communications Squadron at Osan Air Base. "The first thing we realized was, we smelt smoke."
The building, near the base, Osan Air Base, had become was engulfed gone up in flames, trapping Precious Enyioko and her three children on the fourth floor, according to an Army press release.
"I turned back around to look and there was [a]another female with the children in the window, and that’s when I — me, a father of five — kind of was like, ‘Oh no, this is not going to happen,’ " said Tech. Sgt. Stefan Hayes, with the 51st Force Support Squadron.
Enyioko was leaning out the window, dangling one of her children in her arms, so the airmen and soldiers ran into a blanket store (yes, there was a blanket store right there, you can't make this stuff up).
"We grabbed blankets … we had the blankets in our hands and the lady just started dropping her babies down," said Army 1st Sgt. Sergeant Melanie Scott of the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.
"She was holding the baby out the window," said Master Sgt. Michael Henry, also with the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. "I ran in and grabbed the blanket. My mindset was, double-up the blanket."
The woman dropped her children out the window, the airmen and soldiers catching them with the blankets.
"At first you could tell she was scared, she didn't want to," Scott said. "I'm just glad we were there to be able to help."
Precious Enyioko followed her kids, jumping out the window herself. All four survived the ordeal.
The family later had the opportunity to later meet the U.S. service members.
"What happened here that very day was amazing. I don't know how I will explain my thanks," said Prince Enyioko, the husband and father.
"It was so difficult to drop my children," Precious Enyioko said. "When I saw the people gathering with the blanket, I could see it was military members. I thanked my God. I don't even know what I would have done that day. I am so thankful to the Lord that they are here in Korea. Today I am living and I can tell my story. Me and my husband and my kids, we are so proud of the U.S. military."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Patrick Buhay, with the 51st Communications Squadron, said it was an instinct to help that led the group to take action.
"You're either going to run, you're going to freeze, or you're going to do your thing," he said. "I'm just glad they're safe."
