Couple shares emotional reunion with neighbor who saved them from fire

Struggling in the smoke and flames, a man rushed into a burning condo without hesitation to help a woman save her husband.

It could have been a very different Christmas for the Depositar family.

Less than a week ago, a fire-filled condo at Schooner Bay Condominiums nearly turned their whole world upside down, but on Tuesday, the day after Christmas, they are reflecting on a holiday filled with happy tears and a lot of hugs, all thanks to the courage of a neighbor.

It was an emotional reunion between the Depositars and Jon Lantz, all grateful to be alive.

“In that one moment, to me, he was gone. I thought he was gone,” said Teresa Depositar.

On Dec. 20, the day of the fire, Depositar thought she had lost her husband, Todd Depositar, when a condo in their building caught fire.

Her husband ran into the smoke-filled condo, and when he needed help pulling the owner to safety Jon Lantz joined him.

They got her out but then Todd returned to put out the flames.

“That’s when I fell over something, and the smoke overwhelmed me, and I collapsed on the carpet,” Todd said.

It wasn’t long before his wife saw the smoke-filled condo and called his name only to get no response.

“I covered my face the best that I could and went into the unit and saw him face down on the carpet. It scared me, and so I just started screaming his name and screaming for help,” Teresa said.

Lantz heard their screams and, without hesitation, ran towards the flames a second time.

“When he hollered that he needed help, I knew I had to go back in,” Lantz said.

He helped Teresa pull her husband to safety.

Todd collapsed down the stairs, but they eventually made it outside alive.

“I looked up and saw Jon standing there, and I just said, ‘Thank you so much for coming in to help.’ Not many other people would risk their life, as well,” Teresa said.

Once only neighbors, now with a bond like never before.

“To see someone step up and put their life on the line for you, it’s a completely different relationship at that point, and he didn’t have to do that,” Todd said.

Now reunited for the first time since the fire, the three shared tearful embraces.

“Teresa and Jon are my heroes. It could have been a completely different outcome,” Todd said.

But they’re all here, and just days out of the hospital, Jon has a message for the world.

“Take care of each other,” he said.

Five short words, but a sentence that resonates now more than ever with the Depositars and Lantz.

Lantz spent three days in the hospital recovering from smoke inhalation. He has several follow-up appointments this week, but he said he would run back into that condo for Todd and Teresa again if he had to.