He heard screaming, saved woman and kids from burning home

12:00 AM CST on Thursday, March 23, 2006

By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News

Twenty-two years ago, thick smoke kept Gary Larkin from rescuing two girls trapped in a burning house. Both died.

This year, faced with another fire, he helped a neighbor and her three young daughters to safety from the second floor of their home on Harlan Drive.

Tuesday, the city honored the Mesquite man as a hero, presenting him a certificate of recognition at a City Council meeting.

Mr. Larkin, a 40-year-old Dr Pepper account rep, said he's been flattered by all the attention.

"I've told the story a lot," the Mesquite native said. "I'm like, 'That's nothing.' "

The Mesquite Fire Department disagrees.

"I think he did more than a lot of neighbors would do," said Capt. George Malone.

If it hadn't been for Mr. Larkin, he said, the mother and her daughters – ages 2, 5 and 7 – would have died.

Mr. Larkin recalled that he had finished watching an NFL playoff game in his garage about 8:40 p.m. Jan. 8 when he heard a woman screaming, "Somebody help us!" When he walked around to the front of his house, he saw that she was hollering from a second-story window.

Mr. Larkin, who has two young daughters, said he ran to the woman and coaxed her to dangle each of her daughters out the window so he could catch them. He caught the mother, too.

"They were real, real quiet," Mr. Larkin said of the girls.

Capt. Malone said the smoky fire burned much of the kitchen and living room. The blaze was caused by a cigarette that the woman, whom he didn't identify, had thrown into a garbage can. Damage was estimated at $18,000.

Said friend Brian Dowse: "That's just Gary. He's always there to help."

Mr. Larkin's toughest challenge came when, as a 17-year-old on Dec. 30, 1983, he tried to rescue two girls from a burning home. Eight-year-old Kristi Williams died in the house. Police pulled out Jennifer Williams, 5, but it was too late to save her.

"It felt pretty hopeless," Mr. Larkin said.

"It was actually gratifying that I had another chance."

E-mail mmhidalgo@dallasnews.com