Woman Dies After Saving Kids from Fire

After throwing children out window to safety, she succumbs to smoke
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 8, 2010 10:14 AM CDT

A Louisville mom died a hero yesterday, after saving at least three children from a burning building. As her sister fled the building with two other children, 31-year-old Tomarra Finley stayed behind to wake up her kids and help them escape. With the exits blocked, she kicked out the second-story window. After her 9-year-old son jumped out, Finley threw her 3-year-old twins to neighbors below, according to Fox 41.

Firefighters rushed into the building to rescue Finley herself, but she was unresponsive. She was taken to the hospital and died later of smoke inhalation. The fire “was even extreme for us, and we wear all this gear,” said one firefighter. “We can only imagine what she went through, as she was helping these kids. She did a brave thing, she made a sacrifice.” Finley’s sister says she’s “at peace” with what happened. “She died being a mom,” she says. “She always wanted to be a mom.” (More Louisville stories.)

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