Dominick Gennaro was sound asleep when his neighbor, Christopher Cocuzza, broke through one of his windows, yelling for him to get up at 2:30 in the morning.
Now, Gennaro is calling that neighbor a "brother."
In fact, a fire had started in his home while he was in a deep sleep from his cerebral palsy seizure medication. Cocuzza smelled and saw the smoke coming through his bedroom window before rushing next door to wake up his neighbor. He and another Good Samaritan named Joey, a man unknown to the two, made their way into the house, Cocuzza grabbing a garden hose and ladder. Gennaro was trapped, until they broke in through a window and pulled him out.
Cocuzza was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but quickly recovered and found Gennaro by his side, waiting to thank him.
"I love him, he's like a brother to me now," the thankful man said.
Authorities suspect that the fire was started by a heat lamp from his pet iguana's aquarium. Thankfully, both men — and the anonymous Good Samaritan — are doing well. It may take a year for Gennaro's home to be rebuilt, but he says he's lucky to have such supportive friends, family — and neighbors.
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