
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 4, 1994                   TAG: 9404040010
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS                                LENGTH: Short

HOMELESS MAN SAVES 2 FROM A FIERY DEATH

A homeless, unemployed man who was begging for quarters plunged twice into a burning car to rescue the two people trapped inside.

"It wasn't no big deal," Michael Dennis said. "It was just the right thing. I saw two old people burning up. You can't just ignore that."

Dennis was begging Saturday afternoon when a car driven by Margaret Waltzer, 67, struck a truck and a traffic signal pole and caught fire.

Dennis rescued Waltzer, then returned to the car to save her 79-year-old husband, Elmo.

"My grandmother and grandfather died in a car accident. No one was around to help them. I did what I had to do," he said.

The Waltzers were in stable condition at Baptist-Mercy Medical Center.

Dennis said he has been sleeping under overpasses and begging money since he was laid off two years ago by NASA, where he performed general maintenance.

by CNB