| Sources |
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 8 Oct 2009.
Dr. Edward R. Wear obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 27 Jan 2011.
Pigeon Forge salutes 12-year-old for heroic actions
By DEREK HODGES
Eddie Wear — he’s the shorter one in the front — stands surrounded by city officials after being recognized by Pigeon Forge Fire Department Chief Tony Watson, right, as a lifesaver. Joining those two are, from left, Commissioner Randal Robinson, Commissioner Joyce Brackins, Mayor Keith Whaley, Vice Mayor Kevin McClure and Commissioner David Wear. (Derek Hodges/The Mountain Press)
Read more: The Mountain Press - Pigeon Forge salutes 12 year old for heroic actions
PIGEON FORGE — When he walked out into the garage and found the flames leaping off the floor and licking one of the walls, Eddie Wear jumped into action. He immediately alerted the rest of his family and the friends whose home they were visiting, helping get them out before waiting to flag down the fire trucks as they screamed onto Paulas Huskey Circle.
Just as he didn’t expect to be thrown into that situation when fire struck the residence on Dec. 16, he was caught off guard when he heard his name called out during Monday’s Pigeon Forge City Commission meeting.
Eddie had been convinced by his mother that he was attending the session with his family to hear how the group voted on one of the items on its agenda. However, just before the meeting an item was added to the slate calling for recognition of one Eddie Wear. He walked, stunned and with a wide grin, to the front of the meeting room, by the rows of people giving him a standing ovation, to accept a plaque from Fire Department Chief Tony Watson, who called him a hero and a lifesaver.
“FIRE SAFETY AWARD,” the plaque, which bears the fire department’s seal, reads in glimmering gold letters. “The Pigeon Forge Fire Department Presents this award to Eddie Wear for demonstrating bravery and courage in his action on Thursday, December 16th, 2010.”
It’s all been pretty overwhelming, especially for a freckle-faced boy who just turned 12 on Tuesday.
“I was really surprised,” he said after the meeting, clutching the shiny wooden plaque to his chest. “I didn’t expect anything like that.”
But no one argued Eddie didn’t deserve the honor, with even the commissioners and city officials jumping to their feet to show respect for the young man.
His mother Charlotte Wear remembers well how her son earned the recognition. It was a terrifying ordeal just days before Christmas.
“We were inside the house — my good friend Mary had broken her leg and we had taken her to the hospital, then got her settled at home — talking to the family and Eddie started to go out and found the fire,” Wear said. “He started telling everybody to get out of the house, helped everybody get out, and waited to direct the firemen in.
“If he hadn’t found it when he did and reacted the way he did, it wouldn’t have been a good situation. There were propane tanks in the garage and all sorts of things just beyond where the fire had spread.”
“I said, ‘Hey Mom, there’s flames in the garage,’” Eddie said. “I learned what to do in school. I was a little freaked out, though. For a good long way.”
By the time Eddie found the fire and got the adults out to address the crisis, flames were rolling up against the ceiling, threatening to spark an inferno that could claim the whole building. It wasn’t just a scary situation for the folks in the house. Over the radios, the firefighters rushing to the scene were carrying came the message that there were people in real danger.
“It’s the nightmare call for us because we heard that there were elderly people in the house and they were having some trouble getting out,” Watson said. “We didn’t know what we would be facing when we arrived.”
Fortunately, thanks to Eddie’s quick thinking, not only was everyone in the structure evacuated before anyone got hurt, those at the scene were able to use extinguishers and water buckets to kill the flames. It’s something they did just before the blaze spread into the attic, a move that could have meant destruction of the house, fire inspectors told Watson. As it was, the damage was limited to the garage area, which was left completely black.
This wasn’t the first time Eddie and his family have dealt with flames. A few years back their home was actually destroyed by fire, so Eddie had good reason to pay attention in those fire safety classes. Wear said she also made sure her sons knew exactly what to do if they should face a blaze again.
Eddie’s actions earned praise from Watson, who said he was “extremely impressed” with the presence of mind the young man showed, and that he believes there’s no doubt Eddie saved lives.
“He really showed a lot of character and courage,” Watson said of Eddie. “There’s no nobler act than to save a life. I have utmost respect for him.”
With Eddie crediting lessons he learned in school for his knowing what to do in the situation, Watson agrees those classes, which his department helps coordinate for the schools in Pigeon Forge, are a crucial when youngsters find themselves in life-or-death situations.
“I think it really says a lot about those fire prevention and fire safety classes in our school system that he had the presence of mind and knowledge to do what he did,” Watson said. “It’s encouraging to see a young man who has taken that information and actually saved lives.”
Eddie isn’t the only one who gained fans in the ordeal, though.
“We were so impressed with the fire department,” Wear said. “They made sure all the debris from the burning garage was out of the building, they got up into the attic to make sure nothing was going on up there, they put fans in to get the smoke out of the house. They even helped carry Mary back into the house when it was over and made sure they had working smoke detectors.
“I think they did a fabulous job, especially considering most of them are volunteers.”
n dhodges@themountainpress.com
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 9 Sep 2013.
Margaret Waters Wear obituary
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1999 - (25 years)
, d. 8 Oct 2009 (Age 56 years)