Heroic former New York Giants football player rescues elderly man trapped on a burning roof

  • Cole Farrand, 24, was signed as a free agent before being released in 2015
  • The ex-linebacker saved a man from a burning building in Rockaway Twp, NJ
  • The seven-hour blaze that destroyed the home Monday, did not claim any lives 

By Karen Ruiz For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:48 EST, 14 January 2017 | Updated: 15:02 EST, 14 January 2017

Former linebacker Cole Farrand helped an elderly man off a burning roof after a house near his Rockaway Township home caught fire

A former New York Giants football player rushed to the rescue of an elderly man stranded on a burning roof.

Ex-linebacker Cole Farrand was woken up early Monday morning to find his neighbor's Rockaway Township home engulfed in flames, North Jersey.com reported.

Farrand initially believed his own home was on fire after he had woken up to his mother's screams of 'Fire!'

He ran down the street to the nearby house at 17 Dawson Drive in the Green Pond Lake Community, to see flames up to 30 feet in the air he said.

The 24-year-old found the resident of the home, Jean Moore, outside of the burning house where she told him she was not sure if her husband was still inside.

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Farrand ran down the street to the Dawson Drive house in the Green Pond Lake Community to find it engulfed in flames (pictured)

A woman managed to escape from the second story window, but Farrand helped her husband down with a ladder

Mrs Moore appeared to be disoriented after managing to escape through the second-floor window, Farrand said,

The former University of Maryland football star said it was when he found Jim Moore sitting on the edge of the burning roof, that he ran back to his house to grab his father's ladder.

Farrand returned to find Moore lying down to get below the black smoke and helped him down from the roof before the whole house went up in flames. 

Farrand had played football at the University of Maryland (pictured left) before signing as a free agent with the Giants (pictured right with his girlfriend)

Firefighters finally put out the seven-hour blaze at 8.30am, but no cause of fire has been determined yet.   

Officials said the freezing temperatures made it difficult to put out the fire as it took time to draft water from the lake.  

The owner of the now scorched home, Jill Rotta had rented it to the Moores for a short-term period.  

A neighboring house was also damaged by the fire, but no one had been inside the home at the time, Fios 1 News said.

The firefighters and Rotta praised Farrand for his heroic actions. 

Firefighters finally put out the seven-hour blaze at 8.30am, but no cause of fire has been determined yet

Owner of the home Jill Rotta took to Facebook to address the incident saying she is 'heartbroken' but also 'very blessed' everyone made it out alive. Pictured: The only remains of the house

Although, he told the website being called a hero made him feel a bit 'awkward.' 

Rotta took to Facebook to address the incident saying she is 'heartbroken' but also 'very blessed' everyone made it out alive. 

She expressed her gratitude toward the community and Farrand saying: 'Most important thank you Cole Farrand for rescuing our tenants from the roof and getting them to safety! The house is completely gone.

'As much as this home was truly our family 'happy place' and we just cannot imagine not opening the door this June and immediately relaxing knowing we are home, we will rebuild!'  

Farrand had played football at the University of Maryland before signing as a free agent with the Giants and played on the practice squad before being released in 2015.

The Moores are currently living at nearby hotel as they decide on their next move. 

The house was burned the ground including the three cars in the driveway and the shed.  

Farrand signed as a free agent with the Giants and played on the practice squad before being released in 2015

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