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Mother, daughter receive gifts from officers who saved them from fire
After a fire burned down their apartment two weeks ago, Anisa Oke and her daughter received an early Christmas gift from the APD officers that saved them.
AUSTIN, Texas - Christmas came early to two victims of a fire in Northeast Austin after three Austin Police Department (APD) officers delivered gifts to them.
This is the second time Anisa Oke and her 10-year-old daughter Anastasia Pratt have returned to the Ashford Cota Esmeralda Apartments since their apartment was burned down in a fire two weeks ago.
Saturday, they found some of their clothes still intact outside. "Seeing stuff I was like, wow, you know, maybe some stuff isn't burned up and maybe there are some salvageable items," said Oke.
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APD Officers that saved mother and daughter from fire gift the family Christmas presents
Austin Police Department officers delivered Christmas gifts to the mother and daughter that were recently saved from an apartment fire.
While it was a relief to find some of their stuff among the charred debris, Oke says it is a painful reminder of what this mother-daughter duo experienced two weeks ago.
"I’m just glad that she's still here with me," said Oke.
Oke said she and her daughter were woken up to the smell of something burning on December 11th. In a matter of seconds, their front door was engulfed in flames, trapping them inside their second-floor apartment.
"We were sitting in the living room in the hallway like panicking as the door is melting in front of us," she said.
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Body cam footage shows Austin officers rescue two from balcony during fire
Three Austin Police Department officers worked on a rescue together that saved a mother and daughter from an apartment fire.
Body cam footage shows what happens next as Oke worked with officers to try to get Anastasia out first. It was a team effort between Officer Gray, Officer Aguilar, and Sgt Gilbert who safely got Anastasia down and Oke after.
"Going into a situation like that where it's very dynamic and actions are required very quickly, the thought process almost goes away to react to what needs to be done," said Sgt. Gilbert.
Since the fire, Oke and her daughter have been living in a hotel for the time being. Recently, the two got a huge surprise from their heroes in blue.
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Three APD officers recognized for heroic efforts
Three Austin Police Department officers worked on a rescue together that saved a mother and daughter from an apartment fire.
Oke and Anastasia received Christmas gifts from the APD officers who saved them.
"She was overjoyed. She had so many gifts. She walked into the [hotel] lobby, and it was just so full of joy and glad that she had all those gifts because she probably wouldn't have had any [gifts]," said Oke.
There is a GoFundMe to help Oke and Anastasia. If you would like to help, click here.
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MORE HEADLINES:
APD releases bodycam of officers rescuing family from burning apartment
Body cam footage shows Austin officers rescue two from balcony during fire
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