Three incoming freshmen from South Paulding High School are receiving praise and admiration for rising to the occasion, saving the life and home of a stranger.

Ryan Seymour, Kai Keller, and Pearson Blair were hanging out in their Villa Rica neighborhood in Paulding County, Georgia, last Friday. The young heroes noticed smoke heard the window of their neighbor’s home crack. The fire slowly came out, revealing the inferno inside.

The three didn’t waste any second and hurried to where the fire was. They escorted the residents to safety along with their pets. “I was pitch black. Couldn’t see anything,” Blair recalled.
When they were certain that everyone was away from danger, the heroic band of high schoolers each grabbed garden hoses and tried to stop the flames from spreading. Authorities began to respond and attended to the residents and the young heroes.

“It amazes me that three 14-year-old boys jumped into action without hesitation,” Football Coach Jason Nash told PEOPLE. “My first reaction was a great big smile and to show my wife about how courageous these three were.”

The football coach also tells how beyond proud he is of his three boys. “They deserve every bit of recognition they can get,”

To this day, officials and the Paulding County Fire Department still couldn’t tell what caused the fire. But one thing is certain—nobody got harmed because of Ryan, Kai, and Pearson’s quick thinking and bravery.

Their football coach immediately tweeted about the three’s amazing feat: “These young men saw a house on fire 2 grabbed a water hose 1 ran in to help get people and pets out. Being selfless & a good human being isn’t hard. Proud to call them SPARTANS!!!,”

Nash also tells how the three are “true teammates” and that anyone would be proud to claim as their sons. He also applauds the boys’ will and determination and further describes how the three are indeed true-blooded Spartans.

“They are extremely hardworking and want to be champions in any endeavor they are involved in.”

The most incredible thing about the boys’ recent achievement is how humble they are. “Because that’s what we thought was right. And that’s what we think is the right thing to do—help others,” Keller said.

“I wasn’t thinking about harming myself in that or the roof falling in from the fire. It was just someone needed help, so help them,” Blair explained.

The boys’ football coach also explains how proud he is for instilling how football is bigger than the individual. Coach Nash never failed to inculcate how the sport extends into the communities and to those who cannot help themselves.

His way of teaching football boils down on how you can become a better person of genuine character and action. That’s exactly what his three students did. The student-athletes of South Paulding High School are very much like the Spartans of ancient history—a protector of the people.