Kathy Swanger wishes there were more people like Matt Saxman in this world.

In August 2020, Saxman, a detective sergeant with the New Kensington Police Department, rescued Swanger’s neighbor, Betty Jean Hilliard, 81, and her five dogs from Hilliard’s burning home on Valley Street.

“In today’s world, to have anybody go that extra mile, how many people are willing to do that?” Swanger said. “He just raced in there.

“If we all went the extra mile, we’d be living in a much better world.”

Saxman was recognized with a valor award from the Western Pennsylvania Firemen’s Association that was presented to him at the New Kensington City Council meeting Tuesday. Provident Insurance sponsored the award.

The association recently held its annual convention in New Kensington.

Fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. nominated Saxman. On that hot and muggy day in August 2020, he said, Saxman got Hilliard out of the house before firefighters arrived.

“If it wasn’t for Detective Saxman, she wouldn’t be here today,” Saliba said. “It was a blessing.”

Saxman, 36, has been with the department about 10 years. He was driving through the area when he saw smoke from the fire, called it in, and drove toward it. He saw flames coming out one side of the house and broke open a window.

In his nomination letter, Saliba wrote that neighbors told Saxman that someone was inside.

He went in, called out and followed Hilliard’s voice. Hilliard was on her computer, unaware of the fire and her smoke alarms going off. He grabbed Hilliard and got her out through the intense smoke and heat.

Saxman’s memories of the details of that day are fuzzy from time and modesty. He said any officer in the department would have done what he did that day.

“I was just in the right place at the right time, I guess,” he said. “I was just doing what police officers do.”

Hilliard declined to be interviewed for this report.

The fire was ruled accidental and electrical in origin, a state police fire marshal said.

Betty Jean’s new house

Swanger has been overseeing the replacement of Hilliard’s home on the same property, where only a detached garage remained. Swanger, 65, lives nearby and said she has known Hilliard since she was 7 years old.

The new house, a modular with three bedrooms and two full baths, is expected to be ready for Hilliard to move in sometime in November, Swanger said. Cranes recently put its two sections in place on the new foundation.

She said Hilliard has been living in a rental home in Lower Burrell. Of the five dogs Hilliard had at the time of the fire, only two are still with her.

“She had quite a few dogs,” Swanger said. “It was tough finding her a place to stay.”

Rather than move and live somewhere else, Hilliard wants to come back to the place and the people she knows, Swanger said.

“She wanted to be near family and friends,” Swanger said. “She’s ready to come home.”

Swanger said they are hopeful that, one day, Hilliard will get to meet Saxman and thank him.

“She was very lucky for that gentleman, very lucky. Another five minutes, she would have been trapped in there,” Swanger said. “She’s very grateful. There’s no words.”

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