A homeless man has been described as a “guardian angel” after running into a animal shelter which was on fire.
Keith Walker risked his life to save the 6 dogs and 10 cats that were in the Atlanta animal shelter after a fire broke out in the kitchen.
The 53-year-old, who has been homeless since he was 13 years old, didn’t hesitate to run into the W-Underdogs shelter to save the animals on December 18.
“I was nervous as hell, I’m not going to lie. I was really scared to go in there with all that smoke. But God put me there to save those animals,” Keith told CNN.
“If you love a dog, you can love anyone in the world. My dog is my best friend, and I wouldn’t be here without him, so I knew I had to save all those other dogs.”
Shelter founder Gracie Hamlin said the fire has left W-Underdogs uninhabitable.
She said Keith was fearless as he rescued the animals.
“Even the firefighters didn’t want to handle the dogs. They called animal control, but Keith was already in the building pulling out the cats and dogs until they were all safe,” Gracie said.
Gracie already knew Keith, the man she describes as her “guardian angel,” as she lets him keep his own pitbull dog named Bravo at the shelter every night.
Keith was on his way to pick Bravo up and take him for a walk when he saw the fire.
‘He is my hero’
“I can’t thank him enough for saving my animals,” Gracie said. “I’m still in disbelief, because I’ve been around a fire and I know how fast they flare up. He is my hero.”
Thankfully, the shelter was just one week away from moving into a new facility where the animals now reside.
“He is my guardian angel,” Gracie told CNN.
