'Don't lose me': L.A. deputies honored for rescuing 100-year-old woman during Eaton Fire

ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 25: An aerial view of homes which burned in the Eaton Fire amid an ongoing electricity outage in the area on January 25, 2025 in Altadena, California. Southern California is facing the first significant rainfall of this winter and areas which recently burned in wildfires face a small risk of mudslides or flash flooding. Multiple wildfires fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds burned across Los Angeles County leaving at least 28 dead with over 180,000 people having been under evacuation orders. Over 12,000 structures, many of them homes and businesses, burned in the Palisades and Eaton Fires. President Donald Trump surveyed wildfire damage yesterday and pledged to 'open the coffers' for federal aid to California.
ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 25: An aerial view of homes which burned in the Eaton Fire amid an ongoing electricity outage in the area on January 25, 2025 in Altadena, California. Southern California is facing the first significant rainfall of this winter and areas which recently burned in wildfires face a small risk of mudslides or flash flooding. Multiple wildfires fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds burned across Los Angeles County leaving at least 28 dead with over 180,000 people having been under evacuation orders. Over 12,000 structures, many of them homes and businesses, burned in the Palisades and Eaton Fires. President Donald Trump surveyed wildfire damage yesterday and pledged to 'open the coffers' for federal aid to California. Photo credit Mario Tama/Getty Images

It was an ominous scene as LASD Deputies Quinn Alkonis and Nicholas Martinez arrived at the MonteCedro Retirement Community in Altadena under threat of the deadly Eaton Fire.

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"There were multiple houses on fire on every corner," Martinez told KNX News' Karen Adams.

The duo spotted an elderly woman walking her dog and quickly got her to safety. They then entered the complex and, with the power completely out, made their way to the third floor.

As they called out to see if anyone was left, the deputies could hear someone shouting for help. It was a 100-year-old woman walking alone, unsure of what was going on.

"Just hearing her faint voice in the distance, like, 'help, help,' I was kind of in disbelief like oh my gosh, like there's somebody else here," Alkonis recalled.

"Don't lose me," the woman is heard saying on body cam footage that captured the heroic events.

It's not clear why the woman was left alone, but Martinez and Alconis are grateful they were able to save her from the fire.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images