Photo by Erin Nelson
Pearson Faulk holds his service dog Aristotle, 11, outside his damaged apartment in Homewood on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Aristotle alerted Moncrief to a fire in a neighboring apartment in his building, giving him time to rescue other pets in his building as the Homewood Fire Department arrived on the scene. Photo by Erin Nelson.
On the morning of March 6, Alison Moncrief went to work as she did every morning, leaving about 7:30 a.m.
But a few moments after arriving, she saw her son, Pearson Faulk, running across the street from their apartment on Central Avenue. Faulk, 31, has autism, and had been woken from his sleep by his service dog, Aristotle, who had noticed smoke filling the home.
“I thought our apartment was on fire, but I knew nothing was plugged in,” Faulk said. “I was scared but I knew I needed help since I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. I was scared it would spread and no one was home.”
While there were no other people at home at the time, Faulk said he was worried for the animals in neighboring apartments, so he ran across the street to his mother’s office to tell her there was a fire.
“I know our neighbors well and their pets,” Faulk said. “I knew they all worked away from home. I knew the pets would be scared; they would be wondering where their humans were.”
Moncrief alerted Homewood firefighters, who quickly arrived on scene. There were no injuries to people or animals. Had Faulk not reacted so quickly, the animals might not have been so lucky.
“It was amazing,” Moncrief said of her son’s efforts. “I don’t even know how in the world he was able to function to come find me.”
Had the firefighters not come, Faulk said he planned to break the windows to get animals out safely.
While their apartment was ruined, friends and neighbors have helped them move into a new apartment, Moncrief said.
“I’m just very thankful,” Moncrief said.
Even after losing their home, Faulk said he is grateful no one was hurt.
“We may have lost many things, but we didn’t lose our wonderful, furry neighbors or the great friends and neighbors we have,” Faulk said.
