Neighbor honored for life-saving heroics

When Sarasota resident Kevin Dever saw his neighbor’s home was burning, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He ran inside to save him.

“It wasn’t until afterward that I thought, ‘What the hell did I do?’” Dever joked.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office honored Dever’s heroics as part of an award ceremony Thursday.
Shortly after Dever ran inside the home Feb. 21, Deputies Diana Darby and Nathan Hughes arrived on the scene and helped Dever pull the neighbor from the burning home.

“We got him out, and I turned around and there was no more house,” Dever said. “It was unbelievable.”
The deputies received Heroic Achievement Awards and Dever was presented a sheriff’s office Certificate of Recognition.

Deputies Donald Lewis and Carrie Luce were honored for a separate life-saving rescue.

They responded to a car fire April 12 and pulled the driver from the car as they extinguished the flames.

“It is my privilege to recognize employees and citizens who go the extra mile to serve and protect this community,” said Sheriff Tom Knight.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].