28-05-2025
Teenagers didn't expect attention after saving family from Whitesboro fire
When a family's garage caught fire and threatened their house, there was no hesitation by a group of teenagers to run towards danger.
A garage fire in Whitesboro on May 17 could have turned out a lot different were it not for the actions of Aiden Kane, Morgan Randall, Tyler Sodj and, Donato Jellenich.
And according to Kane, it was sheer luck they were in the area in the first place.
Kane, 17, is a junior at Whitesboro High School. He said he was attending the Whitesboro Junior Prom with his girlfriend, Randall, and his friends Sodja and Jellenich.
'We left the prom a little early because to go to One Genny [in New Hartford],' Kane explained. 'We got a few appetizers with our friends before heading to Donato's house to get changed out of our prom clothes. And on the way, Morgan saw [the garage] burning. None of use would have seen it if it weren't for her.'
Once they realized what was happening, Kane said they spun the car around and drove to the house on Cavanaugh Road in Marcy.
'Everyone jumped out of the car,' Kane said. 'Donato immediately called 911, Tyler ran towards the garage to check it out and I ran up to the door and started pounding on it.'
Without even thinking, Kane grabbed the two daughters and ran across the street with their father.
'You're okay, you're okay, you're okay,' Kane kept repeating as he carried the girls to safety. A large boom could be heard as Kane was carrying the girls and, as they reached the other side of the street, Kane told them to get behind the car, only for another explosion to sound.
Kane commended his girlfriend for her actions, saying Randall comforted the girls, helping calm them down and wipe away their tears in what was a confusing and terrifying moment.
When asked how they reacted so quickly, Kane credited his father.
'My dad was a police chief and EMS chief, and I've even been on a few calls with him,' Kane said. 'I knew we had to get the family out, especially when the garage was exploding.'
At the time, Kane said he wasn't thinking about much other than getting the family to safety
Once the fire departments arrived and handled the blaze, Kane said he and his friends were given the go-ahead to go home — and that's exactly what they did. And it was only then that it finally hit them what happened.
'We were talking about it in the car and at the house for a while,' Kane said. But eventually, the shock and adrenaline wore off, and the group enjoyed the rest of their post-prom night, blissfully unaware just how much attention they'd get on Monday.
Once the news media started tracking them down and learning that the fire department were calling them heroes.
'You know, it felt good to know we did something good for someone else, but we never expected it to get attention,' he said.
Kane said the four of them were surprised to go to school on Monday and hear their classmates and teachers talking about what they did. It even hit Kane at his place of work.
'It was even on television at [One Genny],' Kane said. 'There were a ton of people congratulating me while I was working.'
When asked about his future plans, Kane said he was going to college for cybersecurity and taking a job as a waiter to pay the bills.
But ultimately, Kane said he plans to attend the New York State Trooper Academy and hopes to become a state trooper.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Mohawk Valley teen speaks after he and friends save family from fire
