A young boy with a big heart is being called a hero today.
Students and staff at Emma K. Doub Elementary gathered to honor 4th grader Kenneth Cavender, the boy whose quick thinking saved his entire family when a fire broke out in their home last month.
Kenneth told his teachers that he woke up to the sound of a smoke alarm in the middle of the night.
Instead of freezing, he remembered exactly what he had learned.
He acted fast, waking his grandmother, his younger sister, and other relatives, making sure everyone in the house got out safely.
He even helped rescue the family’s two dogs.
The home was badly damaged, but the family is safe because a 9-year-old stayed calm in the dark.
Kenneth also made sure to thank the Hagerstown Fire Department.
Earlier this year, firefighters had installed free smoke detectors in his neighborhood, the same ones that sounded the alarm and gave him the precious minutes to act.
After all he went through, Kenneth says he hopes to become a firefighter one day.