Paul James Horvath died after rescuing Joshua J. Horvath from burning, Grove City, Ohio, December 18, 1990. At night, Joshua, seven months old, was in his crib in a second-floor bedroom of his family’s house when fire broke out on the first floor and spread. Alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm, his father, Horvath, 38, salesman, and mother gathered five other children in the house and fled before realizing that Joshua was still inside. As flames spread throughout the house, Horvath re-entered, retrieved Joshua from the second floor, and exited through the front door, flames issuing overhead. Horvath handed Joshua to his wife and then collapsed. Helped to his feet, he walked away from the house before collapsing again. Joshua was hospitalized for burns, including third- degree, to his head, hands, and hip, and he recovered. Horvath was hospitalized for extensive burns and other injuries and died 53 days later of effects of his ordeal.
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