A group of young men in Dallas, Texas are being hailed as heroes after helping six people, including a one-year-old baby, escape a devastating apartment fire.
When the fire began just before 7 am on November 21, second-floor resident Charlie Wilson sounded the alarm by banging on doors and waking up sleeping residents.
First-floor resident Jerrell Worthy, who had just moved into the building a few weeks before the blaze, got some residents together to help her move her new mattress outside to help rescue the residents on the upper floors.
“I hollered for a guy to help me drag my one big mattress out for the people to jump down on,” she told Dallas News. “I had just got that big, thick mattress, but I was glad to get it used that way.”
Bryan Campbell, 21, happened to be driving by the building when he noticed the fire, so he rushed over to help. He noticed Shuntara Thomas calling down to him from the third-floor window with her baby in her arms.
“The young mother was holding her baby and yelling, ‘Can somebody catch my baby?’” Campbell told Dallas News. “I just said, ‘Trust me, I'll catch her!’ My first reaction was ‘Don't let this baby hit the ground.'"
Then Thomas dropped the baby out of the window.
“After she dropped the baby I hurried up and curled him up and caught him real good. And I hurried up and took him away from the fire and got him to the fire department lady,” he told Fox 4.
“I didn’t want my daughter to lose her life,” Thomas told the KXAS news channel. “He told me: ‘Just trust me. I got her, I got her.’ So, without even thinking, I just dropped her.”
“Throwing my baby out to a complete stranger... Without him my child’s life would not have been saved,” she said.
After the baby was safely rescued, the good Samaritans helped five more residents on the third floor jump to safety with the aid of Worthy’s mattress.
“Everybody held the mattresses on both sides and we told everybody just aim for the mattresses,” Darren Hicks, a man visiting friends who helped with the rescue, said.
Although the building had to be bulldozed and many residents lost their possessions, everyone in the 24 units escaped. Two residents and one firefighter were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
After the fire was put out, the Dallas Fire Department declared the young men heroes.
@DallasFireRes_q has extinguished the fire on Ferguson Rd, but the real heroes did their work before hand, as civil… https://t.co/jP6afynINh— DALLAS FIRE-RESCUE (@DALLAS FIRE-RESCUE) 1542815148.0
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.