Honor for St. Paul man who aided neighbor locked in burning home

A St. Paul man will be honored this month for his rescue of a neighbor who had been locked inside her burning home.

In August, Montel Mixon rescued a neighbor from a domestic assault, when the woman's boyfriend set her home on fire and locked her inside. Mixon broke down the door and confronted the man.

"I had to literally rush him, almost tackle him, wrap him up, and I think I spun around and threw him down the stairs or something like that," Mixon said. "There was so much going on, my mind was just racing. I didn't think about it until after the fact it happened, like, 'Did I just do that?'"

The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation will recognize Mixon with the Citizen Service Before Self Honors. Mixon hopes the award brings more attention to the problem of domestic violence. He also hopes it will empower neighbors to look after one another.

In January, St. Paul police recognized Mixon and the neighbor's 10-year-old son, Jayvion Jones, who tried to protect his mother from the assault.

"In times of something bad happened, it might give people the outlook in life that they can make a difference," Mixon said. "If someone needs your help, and you can help, then go ahead of help."

Mixon and two others will receive the award later this month in Washington D.C.