TACOMA – One of two men who risked his own life to save another man from a burning home is now having to pay the price.

As he loads his truck at Tacoma fixture company, Tony Murphy's co-workers have no idea they're working beside a hero. That is until a KING 5 camera and his former co-workers blew his cover, Wednesday.

Last month, Tony and his former co-worker, John Preston, were driving to a job when they saw a Kent home engulfed in flames.

A woman outside screamed her adult son was still upstairs and both men raced in.

"I could see nothing… and I could hear him. I could almost feel his breath," said Tony.

The man was disoriented.  Tony and John were rendered blind by the smoke.

"Then this huge ball of fire came out from under the bathroom door right in front of my face.  I was able to see him so we reached around able to grab his arm and pulled him to the top of the stairs," said Tony.

All three men got out safely.  The man in the house suffered smoke inhalation, as did Tony.

"I didn't notice it until after I got out. I got real dizzy, real bad taste in my mouth," said Tony.

An ambulance ride and hospital visit came with a $2,200 bill.  Because he had just started his job at Precision Door and Cabinet, Tony's health insurance hadn't kicked in.

KING

Tony Murphy and John Preston raced into this Kent home to rescue a man last month.

"He puts his life on the line and now he's having to deal with financial ramifications of that," said former co-worker Patti Olson.

"I didn't get out of the truck and go 'how much money do I have?  How much is the hospital?'" said Tony.  He was thinking about the man whose life he and John were about to save.

"Somebody's son is upstairs in this house. John did the same thing. We just looked at each other. We didn't even question it.  We just went over the bushes, through the front doors and up the stairs," said Tony,

They certainly don't question it today.

Precision Door and Cabinet will hold a special ceremony to honor both heroes.