Young hero inspired by saving a life
18-year-old Max Taranto was driving home from a birthday party late Saturday night, when he noticed something odd as he passed by the 150-year-old home at 95 Waterbury Hill Road.
"I turned to my right and saw something that obviously wasn't a normal light, and it turned out to be a fire," said Max, who then pulled up to the house and realized that, while there were vehicles in the driveway, there were no lights on in the house. "I figured at two in the morning they were probably sleeping, so the only way to wake them – I wasn't going to knock on the door with the fire there – was to lay on my horn."
Which, on Max's Ram 1500, sounds as loud as a cruise ship's fog horn.
"After a couple of minutes, the man came down stairs," he added.
"Really early in the morning, I got a text from Max saying 'Saved a life tonight,'" recalled his mom, Mary Ann. "I didn't really know what he meant, but the next morning he told me everything; so, yes, he did save a life, and I couldn't be prouder."
"I have friends who are volunteers, and I know people, personally, who do it a lot," said Max, who had a life-changing response to what he witnessed. "Calling it in was one thing, to help out, but standing on the sideline kind of makes you feel helpless. I wanted to actually help put out the fire and do whatever needed to be done."
Max has since reached out to local fire houses to see how he can volunteer.
"Before, becoming a firefighter was just a thought and nothing I would actually act on, but after seeing up close and personal the people coming out at 2am – from wherever they were, they got up to help – it really shows people have the courage and, I don't know, sense of pride to help somebody else. And that's something I want to experience for myself."
