Atlanta is mourning a local man whose act of bravery during a deadly fire has been hailed as nothing short of heroic. Stacey Redmond lost his life as he worked to save others from a blaze that consumed a Midtown boarding house on the morning of December 13, according to officials and family statements. Despite the tragedy of his passing, those who knew him remember the courage he showed in his final moments.
In a fiery ordeal that claimed the lives of three individuals, including Redmond, witnesses report that he was the first to detect danger, alerting others to the peril. According to a report by FOX 5 Atlanta, Redmond called the landlord and warned his fellow residents, as the flames began to engulf their State Street home. It was a desperate rescue attempt, that saw him sacrifice his own life so others could escape.
"As a family, we were not shocked, we were not surprised, that's just who Stacey is. He's always willing to try and help other people and put so many others, even in front of himself," said Courtney Redmond, Stacey's brother, in a statement obtained by FOX 5.
While the Atlanta Fire Rescue has yet to release further details on the investigation, Redmond's selfless actions are being honored by the community. Friends, family, and coworkers recently gathered at a Tucker Kroger store where Stacey worked to pay tribute to the man who not only fulfilled his duties at his job, but also filled the lives of those around him with joy. "The Sunday before the fire, he was just at my house. We had this big breakfast. He was sitting at the table playing board games, Trouble and all kinds of board games with my kids. Very close family," Courtney Redmond reminisced, in an interview with 11Alive.
Redmond leaves behind two daughters and will be laid to rest on January 6, 2024, in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. In the wake of this loss, his family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral and memorial expenses. The flames have seared a permanent mark in the heart of Atlanta, one that perhaps will never fully heal, but the memory of Stacey Redmond's heroism will endure far beyond the ashes of that devastating blaze.
