rebelling against low expectations

Cameron Peters: Rescues Eight Children From Fire

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Cameron Peters: Rescues Eight Children From FireMost people have never heard about Cameron Peters, a 16-year-old from Henderson, Nevada. The only article we could find about him was a short half-time piece from NBA.com, but here’s what reporter Dennis Roberts had to say:

Last April, 16-year old Liberty High School Junior, Cameron Peters, was driving down a residential street in Henderson, NV to pick up a friend to go to a basketball game, when he noticed smoke and fire coming from a residence.

Seeing no fire trucks or people around, Cameron stopped his car, ran to the home, and realized that there were people inside. Cameron called 911 and then fearlessly risked his own life and entered the burning home, now engulfed in flames, where he found eight young children sleeping, along with two adults.

Cameron, by himself, gathered up all of the children and carried them to safety going back in to the burning home multiple times to make sure all the occupants had been rescued and accounted for.

Firefighters concluded that the home was completely destroyed by the fire and had Cameron not stopped and risked his own life, eight young children’s lives may have been tragically lost.

The NBA Summer League honored Cameron July 12th at halftime of the Knicks/Kings game. Cameron received awards from the Clark County Commissioner and the NBA for his heroism.

Praise God for Cameron’s bravery and selflessness. We’re sure he felt fear at times as he rushed once again into the blazing building, but he didn’t allow his fear to control his actions, which is the true definition of courage.

Interestingly enough, though you won’t find anything about Cameron on Google News, a quick search for the word “teens” (07/14/07) will bring up stories of high school shooting plots, botched robbery attempts, as well as the headline “Teens to face charges in house fire.” What do you think about that?

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About the author

Alex and Brett Harris

are the co-founders of TheRebelution.com and co-authors of Do Hard Things and Start Here. They have a passion for God and for their generation. Their personal interests include politics, filmmaking, music, and basketball. They are both graduates of Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia.

21 comments

  • Perspectives are very powerful. They are what make a person notice un-ironed curtains, but also makes them totally miss when the same curtains are ironed. Some people will only see bad in the world, and others will see good.

    Ironically I am writing an article about the stereotype “teens” of today are being stuck in!

    Eric

  • “Interestingly enough, though you won’t find anything about Cameron on Google News, a quick search for the word “teens” (07/14/07) will bring up stories of high school shooting plots, botched robbery attempts, as well as the headline “Teens to face charges in house fire.” What do you think about that?”

    What do I think about that?…I’m not surprised. 🙁

    Eight children will grow up with the memory of a boy who selflessly risked his life for them. I wonder how that will impact them.

  • Yeah, I’m not surprised either, unfortunately. Most kids wouldn’t have done that, but thankfully he did!! I hope we all would have the courage to do the same.

  • Wow, that’s really amazing! It doesn’t say anything about the parents though. Did they escape or did the guy just leave them there?

  • Noelle: It says that he made sure all the occupants had been rescued and accounted for, so it sounds like he didn’t forget the parents. They would have been able to get out by themselves.

  • It is amazing and saddening. I wish that more teens would do stuff like that. Unfortunately that is so often not the case. I’ve got to wonder I would do that if it happened to me. I certainely hope so.

  • What an amazing story. Too bad we don’t hear more about people who save lives, like Cameron. We always hear about ones who have committed murder or plenty of other crimes. The effect of living in a sin filled world,

  • Go Cameron! May he continue to have a life-saving attitude.

    Google News doesn’t have any positive stories about teens? Sure, focusing on the negative is an old media habit and easier than finding heroism.

  • I am so proud of my nephew Cameron! He is really an amazing person to have risked his own life to save others! But- I’m not surprised because my sister and brother in law have done an amazing job with their children. Cameron is a hero because he has been taught values, pride and love for others; which he demonstrated and put into action in a very powerful way!. Yes, the parents of the children are fine; more importantly, they are so grateful that Cameron took the time to save their children lives!

    I love you Cameron!!!
    Your Auntie, Val

  • Zoe, my daughter (age 5), and I have been reading the stories of “Teens in the News” together. After reading Cameron’s stroy she wanted to say this…

    “THAT WAS A LOT OF BRAVERY!”

    Zoe

  • Wow! I pray that at one point of time or another, all of us will be able to have the courage and bravery and faith in God to do somthing that amazing!

  • It’s sad that whenever you hear about teens in the media it’s something bad. I am glad that Cameron has showed such courage as this. I believe he did something most adults would not do. I pray that I and other rebelutionaries will strive to have the courage Cameron did.

  • Cameron is an amazing teen!!!!! He did what he knew he had to do, even though he was probably scared out of his skin. I’m not sure if I could do what he did. If an opportunity arises, I hope I’ll be like Cameron. It is so refreshing to hear about teens “doing hard things!”

  • aww cam.. i remember when u came to my sisters and we sat outside and u told me this story.. such a great person! ily times a milly 42!!

  • Hello, Thank you for taking the time to write this post. I found this a very interesting subject, appreciate it for posting.

rebelling against low expectations

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