BALTIMORE — The decision to help rescue a mom and her daughter after an explosion in Pigtown in November nearly ended a 70-year-old marine veteran's life.
After spending weeks in critical condition, Terry Bagley is enjoying the New Year with his family back home from the hospital.
"I'm no hero. I just did what was necessary to do to save someone's life," said Bagley.
Just two days before Thanksgiving, he heard a mother and her 16-year-old daughter screaming for help while trapped inside of a home that exploded on Bayard Street in Pigtown.
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"I heard people screaming inside. I ran inside the house grabbed the girl, brought her out, I went in a second time and brought her mother out. The girl said my baby’s in there, so I went in a third time and got the baby out of there," Bagley remembered.
In his act of heroism, he found himself trapped underneath those bricks as the house collapsed. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed to Shock Trauma.
“A lot of broken bones, broken femur, got a rod in my leg here, three cracked ribs, brain damage. They did a lot of work on me. I was broken up," he explained.
The rescue effort didn't come without a cost for Bagley and his family.
"Doctor bills and medicine for me. I have to buy a lot of medicine. I’m hurting all the time. I hurt all the time," Bagley shared.
But when asked if he'd do it all over again, his answer came without hesitation.
"Yes I would. I believe in helping others. My instinct, I don’t know, I just ran in there. I don’t understand why I did it, but I did it. I’ve always been a person that liked to help others. I was fortunate enough to save three people's lives, especially the baby. Three people are living today because of me," Bagley expressed.
Though they've raised more than $42,000 through their GoFundMe so far, there are still some expenses left uncovered including Bagley's six-week stay in the hospital.
For anyone able to help with Bagley and his family with medical expenses click here.
