- Amelia Samson is a 31-year-old content creator in Seattle.
- She briefly spoke with a good-looking firefighter during an emergency at her house.
- She wanted to find him, so she drew a stick figure of him and posted it online.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amelia Samson. It has been edited for length and clarity.
In October 2022, I hosted a little party at my house to celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast I co-hosted. Early in the evening, 10 of my friends and I were on the roof having drinks.
My friend had brought a date that none of us knew. Although she seemed fine when she first showed up, someone asked her if she was OK minutes after she arrived. She was swaying and falling over. We were trying to figure out what was happening. All of a sudden, she flopped over and started vomiting, her eyes rolling back. Multiple people jumped to hold her up and turn her on her side so she didn’t choke.
We called 911. Shortly after, firefighters turned up at the house. I guess emergency services were really busy that night, so firefighters were all they had to send. These men were stunning. To guests who were showing up during the mayhem, it actually looked like we had ordered strippers.
There was one firefighter that stood out
Last to come out of the truck was a firefighter who looked like he was 6ft3, built, and had the standard firefighter mustache and the kindest eyes. Everyone at the party was whispering to each other about how handsome he was.
He was the one who went up to check on the clearly unwell girl. He gently talked to her and asked her some questions. As the other firefighters prepared to leave, he asked me about our podcast. I saw his wedding finger and he didn’t have a ring.
Once they left, everyone talked about what had happened and the attractive man who came to the rescue.
I drew a stick figure to find him
In the following days, my friends made jokes about the firefighter. Kicking myself for not talking to him more, I briefly flicked through fire department rosters. After a few minutes, I decided to let the internet do its thing: I drew a stick figure of him and posted a video of it on TikTok. Almost immediately, a friend of the guy’s wife got in touch to say she knew exactly who it was but that he was married and a new dad.
I made a quick, funny video response of being sad about the revelation but then moved on.
A month later, I was tagged in a video that showed a mug with my drawing on it in front of the fire station. I thought it was the best thing ever. Apparently, one of the firefighters’ wives had seen the drawing and put it on mugs to give to the fire department.
I was glad they could laugh about it — it was so lighthearted.
Just a few weeks later, I was tagged in another video, but I didn’t see the tag until a few months later, in February 2023. The firefighter’s niece had posted a video of everyone in his family posing with T-shirts they had all received for Christmas with the stick figure drawing on them, with his relation to them underneath the drawing. His dad’s T-shirt read “son,” and his niece’s T-shirt said “uncle.”
I got to experience the best of the internet
I just loved this outcome. I’m assuming that his wife had filmed the video because she wasn’t in it, and the voice laughing behind the camera was a woman. How great that she could laugh about it and not be offended that other people think her husband is hot.
But every single time I see a fire truck, I try very hard not to make eye contact with the guys in the truck. I’d be mortified if one of them recognized me.
When I shared this on social media, most people told me they loved this story — it was so much fun. This was the very best of the internet. It connected people and made people laugh.
