Hero grandfather's final act of love that saved 14-year-old boy from house inferno
Jose Villalta, 69, of Stockton, near San Francisco, managed to save his grandson before he perished in the fire that tore through his home on Saturday morning.
By ALYSSA GUZMAN, US NEWS REPORTER
Published: 19:50 GMT, 31 December 2025 | Updated: 20:17 GMT, 31 December 2025
A heroic California grandfather used his final moments to save his 14-year-old grandson from a house fire.
Jose Villalta, 69, of Stockton, near San Francisco, was awoken by the smell of smoke filling his home on Saturday morning.
He roused his wife who advised him to go back to bed, but he got up and discovered his home was on fire.
Villalta quickly worked to get his five family members out of the house and to safety.
But once outside he realized his grandson, who was not identified, was missing.
'Without hesitation, he goes inside. I’ve seen footage of the flames, and they were intense,' his son Wilbert Villalta told First Alert 4.
'He got [his grandson] out, and then, he just never came out.'
The fire has displaced the grief-stricken family as all that is left of the home is the burnt structure.
'It was a miracle that everyone [else] got out,' Wilbert said.
Jose Villalta, 69, of Stockton, near San Francisco, was sleeping when he awoke to the smell of smoke filling his home and realized it was on fire
He managed to get his family out and himself, but he soon realized his 14-year-old grandson was missing and went back into the flames
The 14-year-old managed to escape the home safely, but Villalta perished, alongside the house he worked so hard for
The family remembers retired custodian Villalta as an 'amazing person' who would 'help anyone' with 'whatever you need'.
He worked a Ripon Unified School District until his retirement. He helped get kids to field trips and to games and even helped the teachers in their classrooms, the family said.
He also worked in sales in San Francisco's Mission District, Redwood City, Oakland, and San Leandro.
'In retirement, he's kept up his love of sales at the Modesto flea market and taken on a big role in caring for his youngest grandkids,' a GoFundMe read.
Villalta immigrated to the US from El Salvador and he worked hard to 'provide for his family and [to] purchase a home for them,' the fundraiser, which has raked in nearly $17,000, read.