The phone rang at 5 am. Going unanswered, it woke up the house of Jim and Jane McManus, and their 2 boys, John and Joe. After the ringing stopped, the family took a minute or so to fall back asleep.

The call probably came from the post office. Mr. McManus' employer looking for him to come in and work on his day off. Usually he would jump at the chance to get paid time and a half for an 8 hour shift, but not today. Today he decided to stay in bed and take the day off which was rare given his nickname, doctor overtime. A name he earned while working an average of 60 hours a week.

The boys are students at St. Peters school in Boston. John is a in the 3rd grade, and Joe the 2nd. Their daily routine is simple. With their father, most days, already out of the house and at work, their mother, or ma to the boys, gets them up at 7 to get ready while she makes breakfast and packs lunches for the always hungry McManus brothers.

On this particular day she was making oatmeal using a gas stove that has fire coming out of the burners directly under metal holders for pots and pans. Leaning against the stove top, she started to doze off. Within seconds her nightgown caught fire, waking her up. She immediately tried putting it out, but panic had taken over her entire body.

Riddled with tremors and flames rising up her right arm, she sprinted into the living room while letting out a scream that still rings in the ears of the boys and her husband, who was still asleep. Bursting out of the bed and going on pure instinct, Jim met Jane in mid sprint taking her to the ground followed by constant pats with his hands to the active flames as the boys stood frozen to what they were witnessing, their father being a hero. The fire was out and she was safe.

Later at the hospital, the doctor caring for Jim and Jane said that there is a lesson to be learned here. No sleeping in the kitchen. As for Jim, he was given another nickname at work. The firefighter.