Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery (2002)

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in which at least 206 people with ties to Massachusetts perished. The first flights to be hijacked took off from Boston Logan International Airport. Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, displayed extraordinary cool under extreme pressure during the hijacking. The Massachusetts 9/11 Fund Blog is profiling the Sweeney Award recipients for the past quarter century every week leading up to the naming of the 2026 Honoree(s) at the 25th Anniversary Commemoration on September 11th.

Pair rescue injured woman trapped under burning car in Freetown woods

On Oct. 14, 2001, Tiago Medeiros, 51, was driving home after working an overnight shift at a foundry in Easton. Passing through Freetown on Route 24, he saw a flash of light in the woods. Stopping his truck, Tiago saw a Toyota Paseo upside down in the woods, rapidly becoming engulfed in flames.

Tiago ran toward the car, yelling for any sign of life. "I heard a voice, 'Please help me,'" Tiago told The Ottaway News Service.

Kelly Fauteux, 21, was pinned under the car. Her leg was broken. Despite the surging heat and flames from the fire, Tiago pulled Kelly from the wreckage.

Then, with the help of a truck driver who had also stopped, the two men carried Leslie to the safety of the side of the road. The fire quickly consumed the car as they reached the highway. State Troopers said Tiago undoubtedly saved Kelly's life.

Leslie’s mother told The Ottaway News Service she is tremendously grateful Tiago was driving by right then.

"The man really took a chance with his own life to get her away from the car," Susan Fauteux said. "I saw the car after and I've never seen anything so utterly destroyed. It's hard to imagine."

Tiago, a father of four, was surprised when he learned he was receiving the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery for his actions. His daughter, Debby Sardinha, said the Portuguese immigrant from the Azores who became an American citizen in 1987 is typically humble.

"I was telling everyone my dad's a hero," Sardinha told The Ottaway News Service. "He said, 'I'm not a hero. I just did what was right.'"

"I'm in shock," Tiago said. "I never expected to receive something like that, but I'm really very happy. I don't have words to explain."

He was happy, though, to hear Leslie recovered and is doing well. "I'm lucky," Tiago said. "She's lucky, too."

Next Week: CAP Squadron Helps find plane crash; Hull teen saves siblings from fire.