High school football coaches save elderly woman from burning apartment

Video: Balboa High School at National High School Football Media Day

Balboa (San Francisco) football strength and conditioning coach Edward Williams, part of a first-year coaching staff, has helped preach important messages to a young, impressionable team this season.

Be disciplined. Do the right thing. Be aware of your surroundings.

Williams and his younger brother Alec put those words into action on Thursday — and might have saved a life by doing so.

As the Buccaneers prepared to leave school for a playoff game, Williams and Alec, a line coach for Balboa, noticed smoke coming from an apartment across the street.

Rather than wait for the fire department, Alec and Edward Williams — a retired U.S. Army Specialist who served two tours in Iraq — acted on their instinct and ran across the street.

"We wanted to make sure no one was in the house, so we yelled and pounded on the door," he said. "We ended up busting it down."

Fortunately they did.

Deep on the lower level of the two-story structure was an elderly woman who, despite rampant smoke, flames and breaking glass upstairs, had no idea her apartment was ablaze.

"She was just sitting in her living room, watching TV," Edwards said. "She got real scared when she saw us. She thought we were trying to rob her house."

The brothers calmed the woman, who was confined to a cane, and quickly escorted her outside just as firefighters arrived.

Edward Williams, who suffers bouts of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, said his "anxiety definitely kicked in. I was very happy to get her out of there."

As was the woman, who was comforted outside by Edward Williams' fiancé Britney Medlock. "She (the elderly woman) was very thankful. We were just happy to be able to help," he said.

Williams and his brother walked back across the street, made little about the heroic deed, and got Balboa ready for its semifinal game against Lincoln, a team it lost to 52-40 on Oct. 24.

Balboa was definitely ready, as the Buccaneers never trailed en route to a resounding 52-34 victory. The win propelled them into the San Francisco Section title game — tabbed Turkey Day Game — on Thanksgiving at Kezar Stadium against defending champion Mission.

The victory capped an inspiring day for Williams, whose team (6-4) is assured of its first winning season since 2005.

Balboa first-year head coach Poutoa Fuega said the Williams' action set the tone for a great day and season.

Fuega, also a U.S. Army veteran, teaches ROTC on campus and helped Williams coach the boys volleyball team in the spring. He convinced Edward and Alec Williams to coach football with him this season.

"Before we even took the field (on Thursday) it was a feel-good story," Fuega said. "Our guys were pumped. It was like ‘here we go. Our coaches already saved a life today, so now let's go win a football game.' "

Getting to the Turkey Day Game is a big deal for San Francisco kids — especially this group, who had struggled with grades and discipline before Fuega and staff took over.

"It's been a long and hard process," Fuega said. "We knew it would be. But the boys did what they were supposed to do. They kept their word. They've done the right things.

"Just seeing the boys' faces after the game made it all worthwhile. They were literally crying they were so happy. … It was just one fantastic day."