DeLaurentis, a 1976 graduate of Andrew Warde High School and owner of Daybreak Donuts, ran into the burning house while it was fully engulfed in flames after hearing cries of help.
"We saw a woman come out of the bottom floor with her baby, and she was screaming that there was a baby on the second floor," said DeLaurentis. "So, people were saying, 'Stand back, stand back.' There was no way we were going to stand back. We just ran in."
DeLaurentis says the fire and smoke were intense as he and a few other volunteers entered the house to rescue two-year-old Mikey Ham, whose father was also inside. After saving the child, he went back inside to save the dog.
"I just stayed with him (the two-year-old) until the father came out," continued DeLaurentis. "He hugged me and the baby, and we started crying. I'm no hero. I'm just a father. I just reacted. That's all."
Friends of DeLaurentis say they were not surprised when they heard about what he had done, and that he is always putting other people's needs before his own. Authorities tell News 12 Connecticut it could be several days before their arson team determines the cause of the fire.
Paul
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