Commissioner Causey to honor 10-year-old boy, his neighbor with heroism awards for saving lives in early December fire

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will honor 10-year-old Brayden Connor and his neighbor, Antonio Bickems, for their quick, life-saving action during a home fire in the Catawba County town of Claremont earlier this month.

Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, will present Heroism Awards to the two at the Claremont Fire Department on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m.

Young Brayden woke up on Dec. 4 to find that the kitchen in his home was on fire. He remained calm as his mother became disoriented by the fire.

Brayden and his mother left the home and went to a neighboring duplex and banged on the door where Bickems lived. Bickems then rescued two children from the fire while the mother rescued another child.

Hospital staff credit Brayden with providing helpful information for his mother and siblings while they were receiving medical care. While the mother and three children sustained injuries, the result could have been much worse had it not been for the extraordinary efforts of Brayden and Bickems.

Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for Thursday’s event: