Father: Heroic Ghanaian soldier killed in Bronx fire was 'selfless'
30th December 2017
The soldier's heartbroken father, Kwabena Mensah, 62, (shown being interviewed) explained that Emmanuel's sacrifice was only in his 'nature'
The devastated dad of an Army solider who sacrificed his life to save others during the deadly Bronx apartment building fire Thursday says the selfless acts were only of his 'nature'.
'They were telling me he was rescuing people out from the fire. That's what caused (his death) ... he doesn't live in apartment one, he lives in room 15,' the teary-eyed Kwabena, 62, seemingly said while speaking with PIX11.
'That's his nature. That's how he is,' his father added.
According to Emmanuel's Facebook page, the family moved to the Bronx from Cape Coast, Ghana at some point within the past decade.
His profile biography says he attended DeWitt Clinton High School before enrolling in the Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY.
But the late Emmanuel's ultimate passion was to serve in the Army, his father explained to the New York Post.
'When he came here (five or six years ago) he just said, 'Dad, I want to join the Army',' Kwabena remembered of the conversation.
'At first I didn't agree with him, but I decided that's his choice,' he said.
On Thursday, Emmanuel 'helped his roommate's wife and children' as 'they were trying to come out to the stairs and he stopped them.
'He told them to come out the window, then he went in and tried to rescue people out,' he told the Post.
When his father heard of the nightmare incident, he said he hoped his son was one of the lucky ones - but unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Emmanuel's body was found on one of the top floors, where he was assisting the other residents.