97-Year-Old Man Meets Hatboro Officers Who Saved His Life

HATBORO, PA —Robert Keegan remembers Thanksgiving morning.

The 97-year-old man remembers feeling warm in his Fairview Avenue home early that Thursday morning. He felt the door of his room and it was hot.

He remembers two people coming into the room, one grabbing his wrist and the other grabbing his ankle and bringing him down the steps and out the back door. He remembers that those two people saved his life.

"These two gentlemen will be in my prayers forever," Keegan said before Monday night's Hatboro Borough Council meeting. "I don't even know their names."

Keegan appeared at the meeting to meet his heroes, Sgt. Aaron Simon and Police Officer Robert McMahon, who were honored at the meeting before Keegan and 15 members of his family.

"They gave up their own lives to save an old man," Keegan said. "I can't wait to meet those guys and show my gratitude."

And Keegan did.

Following an opening meeting of several citations, Keegan got to meet and hug the two officers, whispering his appreciation to them that he would be around to celebrate Christmas with his loved ones.

The two officers rushed into Keegan's home and performed the rescue. Watch the body cam video obtained by Action News 6.

Mayor Tim Schultz began the citations by presenting one to George and Anne Myers, who were delivering newspapers when they spotted the fire on Nov. 23, called out for the occupants to get out of the house, and called 911.

"They acted immediately," the mayor said. "This fire could have clearly claimed the life of a resident."

Police Chief James Gardner said in all his four decades of police work that he was "at a loss for words" and that no rescue was "as significant as this one."

Gardner honored the officers for their "heroism and bravery" and a "truly extraordinary" rescue. He said that the rescue will be featured on a national television show in February.

Keegan was trapped on the second floor of the home and the officers removed him and made sure he received the proper medical treatment.

"They saved a person's life," the chief said. "They get much-deserved credit."

The chief said the rescue was personal to him too since he knew Keegan growing up in the borough.

State Rep. Nancy Guenst also presented the officers with a citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

"Thank you to the caller," Simon said.

(Photos by Dino Ciliberti/Patch) Hatboro Mayor Tim Schultz poses with Anne and George Myers, who were delivering newspapers when the spotted the Fairview Avenue fire on Thanksgiving morning.

Schultz and Police Chief James Gardner honor Police Officers Aaron Simon and Police Officer Robert McMahon for their heroism in the rescue of 97-year-old Robert Keegan during a house fire early Thanksgiving morning.