Autistic boy, 12, dies saving his father from fire that destroyed their home



A 12-year-old autistic boy died saving his father from a fire which destroyed their home.

Alex Swigart, from Bisbee, Arizona, woke his dad and his girlfriend up when he smelled smoke in their mobile home.

His father Joseph said: 'Alex was the first one who smelled smoke. He woke me up and we were headed out the door.'

Dead: 12-year old Alex Swigart saved his dad's life after waking he and his girlfriend up when their mobile home caught fire Tragic: Joseph Swigart ran to get a hose but then realized his autistic son was no longer by his side but went back inside

But in the confusion of the smoke and the flames, Mr Swigart went to get a hose and then realised that his son was no longer by his side.

He said: 'I realized at the time he wasn't there. By the time I got back up on the porch, fire engulfed the living room. I ran around side of the house.

'I tried to go inside. I had four Border Patrol men grab me and drag me back to the road. They wouldn't let me go back inside.'

Naco firefighter Joseph Garcia told KGUN9TV: 'The flames were coming so big, we were having a heck of a time. I could only watch as Swigart tired to get back to his son.'

Mr Swigart, who acknowledges that he would never have got out alive if it wasn't for his son, then heard something no parent should ever have to hear.

Flames: The fire ravaged the mobile home in a matter of minutes. All that was left was a charred roof, comic books and an old bike

Remains: As well as this, firefighters found the body of Alex Swigart huddled up against his father's bed with a veteran coin

Fighting back tears he said: 'I yelled inside the window and I heard him call to me, "Daddy I can't breathe!"'



In the confusion, Alex never made it out. After the fire was extinguished, a firefighter spotted the 12-year-old's body huddled near his dad's bed against the wall.

Naco Fire Chief Jesus Morales said: 'I always prayed to God I'd never have something like this happen, but it did happen.'

All that is left of their home is a charred roof, a pile of burned out comic books, playing cards and a bicycle on its side.

There was one thing that survived from the fire intact.

Mr Swigart - a Gulf War combat veteran - received a commander's coin for his distinguished service, something he said Alex really liked. It was found intact near the spot Alex died, all the other metal, including the hubcaps of the car, had melted.



Now, Swigart faces an emotional wall he hopes he can climb. He already has the love and support of Alex's classmates.

He said: 'They started a little memorial. "Alex we love you. Alex we miss you", they said.



So far, neither the cause of the fire nor the cause of death has been determined.



