"No Air", the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, said on Friday. "I could not breathe. Then I thought," If I can not find this woman a few minutes, we both die. ""
Less than 12 hours earlier, Booker rushed into the burning house and the neighbors brought the woman to safety, but only after arguing with the detective assigned to protect him.
"It was just one of those moments in life when you just decide to go to," said the 6-foot-3 former tight end at Stanford University.
A woman reported that, in stable condition Friday with second-degree burns on his neck and back. Booker received minor burns and smoke inhalation and was hospitalized briefly on Thursday night.
Already revered in some circles for his good deeds, Booker, 42, is a rising star in the Democratic Party and is considered a potential candidate for governor or U.S. Senate.
Instead of living in posh areas mayorly, he lives in one of the poorest areas of the city to better communicate with people. In 2010, a blizzard that paralyzed the city, Booker grabbed a shovel and began to work.
He is known to ride along with police on the night patrols to hunt down another flight of a suspect. Award Peabody Sundance Channel series "Brick City" documented their efforts to reduce crime in Newark and to address the financial problems. Profiles were published in Time and Esquire.
And when Conan O'Brien began taking potshots at Newark, Booker turned his back to a joke at the end talk shows at night, has been banned from Newark Liberty International Airport and demand a public apology. Operation "feud" ended when Booker O'Brien appeared on the show.
A scientist with a degree from Yale University, Rhodes, Stanford and Oxford, Booker and social media savvy and an interview with Oprah Winfrey and has attracted donations of $ 100 million school Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Booker past actions should not harm his political aspirations (if someone is accused of working on the fire).
The history of salvation, of course, exploded nationally night.
At one point Friday morning, "Cory Booker" was the most searched term on Google. NPR crowned the "heroes of today." The story also took the life of its own Twitter with a sense of humor, with the social media guys who are trying to outdo each other with makeup # corybookerstories (Example: ". When Chuck Norris has nightmares, Cory Booker, the light turns and with him while he sleeps. ")
At a press conference, Booker framed their experience with fire in religious terms. "I feel a sense of gratitude to God that I am here today," said the mayor, in office since 2006. "I have been notorious to come to Jesus moment in my life."
He said one of the detectives riding with him saw the first fire, and called the dispatcher for about 10 hours, then knocked on the window. Detective, Santos Duran, compared the situation to "a scene from the movie" Backdraft. " "
"It was really intense," said Duran.
The passengers did not know, two-story house was on fire. Koli Whitaker, retired truck driver who was sleeping, said a voice shouted that there was a fire - the voice of the mayor - he was awakened.
Whitaker said that the fire in the kitchen upstairs, and that he and the owner of the building tried to turn it off. But the water seemed to be worse, Whitaker said.
Lamar Hodge, who was at the bottom, said she heard her sister Zina, to call for help from above, behind the kitchen. Detective, Alex Rodriguez, the details of the security of City Hall in June, said he went to the second floor, just behind the Booker.
In addition, they heard cries Hodge Zina. By that time, Rodriguez said, fire up the wall and blow it through the ceiling, and they could not hear what he described as a small explosion.
Booker went to the kitchen. Rodriguez said he stopped him and the two "exchanged words."
"I said." I can not let you, it's my job, I have to watch out for danger, "Rodriguez recalled.
Booker tried to load it into the fire again, the detective said, and he has once again chosen mayor, this time to capture the belt. These two words were once again, Rodriguez said, and Booker, this time the situation noted in no uncertain terms.
"He gave me an order, and I respect," said Rodriguez, "was the order." Let go of me. ""
The smoke in the back room was so thick that he "did not see anything," the mayor said. He said that "scary" because he could not find Hodge, aged 47, in the first place.
Once he finds her, he said, raising his shoulders, "and ran as fast as I could through the kitchen, which was on fire, and Rodriguez, who helped me to take home."
The mayor downplayed the fact that he was a hero.
"I have a neighbor who has done what most of the neighbors will be, which leaps into action," he said, adding that with a nod to Rodriguez: "I think most people will have exactly the same, only difference is that I. was to convince someone to let me go, that he did his job to protect me. "
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