Fire victim thanks her hero
Published: January 4, 2006
Virginia Tompkins of Albany said, “They saved my life. I believe it was divine intervention. Someone had my back, and I believe it was them.”
Tompkins said Jonathan Desrochers, 29, and a passenger in his taxi cab are her heroes. After seeing smoke coming from a Western Avenue home on New Year’s morning, the two not only called 911, but they also rang the bell and banged on the door to wake up the people living there. Tompkins and another resident were the only ones home at the time, and both made it out safely.
Tompkins said, “Jonathan not only risked his job, but his life. What’s the chances of a cab driver stopping when they’ve got a cab full of people to get to a destination. He’s my hero.”
Desrochers said, “I just think [I was] someone that saw something that needed to be taken care of and did what I thought should be done.”
Tompkins has two other roommates. They are currently staying at a hotel in Colonie and getting help from the American Red Cross.
Although they didn’t lose everything in the fire, Tompkins said a lot was damaged by smoke and water. She moved to the area about a month ago from Columbia County to a get a fresh start. She said now it’s going to be even harder to get back on her feet.
She said, “This is not exactly a fresh start that I had in mind, but just taking things one day at a time right now.”
Tompkins and Desrochers are planning to meet today.
• See also: Cab driver deemed hero
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