Ailing man runs to warn neighbors of fire, saves own life by dislodging blood clot

WENTZVILLE, Mo. -- After battling the effects of cancer, several spinal surgeries and a recent heart attack, Stephen Koch's health was so poor he had trouble making it to the end of his driveway to pick up his mail.

But when Koch, 42, awoke to heavy smoke in his Wentzville neighborhood, he told his wife to call 911 and rushed out to bang on doors and alert his neighbors.

The irony of Koch's heroism was that the life he saved was his own. As Koch ran desperately toward a burning home, he dislodged a blood clot that could have silently killed him.

"He's just a miracle man," neighbor Pat Fila, 33, said Thursday. "He didn't think twice about his own health. He just wanted to make sure other people were safe."

Firefighters in the St. Charles County town 40 miles west of St. Louis were called to the Great Oaks subdivision around 6:30 a.m. Dec. 1. A plastic trash can outside the home of Paul and Ann Marie Morgan caught fire, and the blaze spread to a garage, then to the first floor of the home, said fire chief Randy Bornhop. The fire grew so intense that siding began to melt on the home of the Bartels next door.

When Koch awoke and spotted smoke, he couldn't tell which home was on fire. He ran to tell the families -- no easy feat considering his medical conditions.

Koch had Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the lymph glands, at age 17. The treatment led to long-term complications -- among them, a tumor on his spine that can't be completely removed.

Koch ran to the Bartel house and banged on the door. He then ran to the Morgans, but another neighbor yelled that the family was already out.

Koch ran back to the Bartel home. He appeared ill. At first, everyone thought it was simply the adrenaline of the moment.

Then neighbors began to suspect a bigger problem. Jennifer Bartel and another neighbor notified paramedics who were responding to the fire.

The blood clot led to another heart attack. Koch was told, "if they hadn't gotten me that help, I'd have been dead in 10 minutes."

"Otherwise, he just might not have woken up one morning," said Jennifer Bartel.

Koch was hospitalized for the second heart attack, but has returned home and is on the mend.

The Wentzville City Council recognized his bravery Wednesday night, and Koch's neighbors have set up a trust fund through Bank of America to help with his medical expenses. They're calling it "Steve's Hero Fund."

As far as Koch is concerned, it's his neighbors who are the heroes.

"It was the sweetest thing you can think, that they were more worried about me than their houses," Koch said.