Heroic teen saves a mom and three children by pulling them out of burning car

A heroic teenager from Connecticut has been commended this week for saving a young mother and her three children, by bravely pulling them from the wreckage of a burning car.

In a Facebook post, the Waterbury Police Department thanked 18-year-old Justin Gavin, who was on his way to a local Walgreens when he spotted that a car was on fire.

Unfortunately, the driver herself didn't notice the flames blazing from her own vehicle. Heedless of the other motorists honking horns at her in a fruitless attempt to alert her attention, she kept on driving.

This forced Gavin to chase after her car on foot and come to the rescue.

A quick-thinking Gavin managed to get the car to halt, opened up the car door, and pulled the unnamed woman and her three children to safety.

The woman's three children - a nine-year-old, a four-year-old, and a one-year-old baby - were sitting in the back seats of the vehicle.

The car in question was completely engulfed in flames moments later.

Waterbury Police Department Chief Fernando Spagnolo later awarded Gavin with a special 'challenge coin' commemorating his bravery.

In a later interview with CNN, Justin spoke about the incident, stating:

"I just felt like if I was in that situation, I would want somebody to help me out. I guess my instincts took over.

"It kind of got scary because I didn't know whether I was going to be able to get everyone out in time. And luckily, I did."

Meanwhile, Spagnolo told Gavin: "I hope that when you have that coin it just reminds you of this day and you can reflect back on all the good that came out of this for you and that family that you saved."

Thank goodness there are people like Justin in the world! A true show of bravery!