Jose Guzman, of California, is lucky to be alive after entering his blazing house to save his beloved 2-year-old pit bull puppy called Gabanna.
Jose’s decision, which he claims he has no regrets about entering the house to save her, has been applauded by animal lovers all around the world after the dramatic rescue footage went viral.
Jose stated to PEOPLE:
“I was aware that anything may have happened to me or both of us, but it didn’t occur to me at the moment. That dog is a member of my family. I couldn’t leave her there after she had been with us through her ups and downs. If I had to do it over, I would do it for anyone in my family.”
CREDIT: Roxana Martinez
On the day of the fire, Jose was at his parents’ house with his fiancée and three girls for a BBQ when he was informed of a fire in their area. But he had no idea the fire was in his house because they had just left an hour before, but he wanted to go there right once to make sure everything was okay.
When Jose arrived, he found the fire had begun at his neighbor’s house, but his house was also engulfed in flames. That’s when the man realized that, due to the intensity of the fire, the firemen had run out of water and required aid from nearby stations.
CREDIT: Roxana Martinez
Although his human family was safe, Joseph was aware that his dog Gabanna was inside the home, and he stated that he would not allow her perish in this way.
José ignored the firemen and walked right inside the home to find Gabanna, who was sheltering in the bathroom, the only portion of the house that wasn’t on fire. Under the toilet, the poor woman was curled up in the shape of a ball.
Adam Guzman, Jose’s landlord’s son-in-law, who is not related to Jose, recorded the dramatic scene on camera. Despite the objections of the firefighters, Jose can be seen sprinting in the video.
CREDIT: Roxana Martinez
Jose then chases Gabanna, much to everyone’s dismay.
Adam described the event as “extremely emotional,” since he did not anticipate Jose to emerge from the flames.
“I believed he was going to pass away. The flames were engulfing him, and I couldn’t fathom him dashing through them. That was my final encounter with him. He hurried out with the dog, relieved that he was alive and brought the dog out at the same time.”
CREDIT: Roxana Martinez
Jose was burned in the second degree on his face, right side, arm, and left ear, which he reported were mending well. Gabanna also has burns on her nose and paw, and while she is still upset, she is expected to be alright.
Jose and his family have been living with his sister Roxana, who started a GoFundMe campaign to support them after they lost their valuables.
At the time of publishing, the campaign had already raised more than $34,000.
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