Son wakes mom, saves from house fire

Clay Payton Isaiah Ray, a 4-year-old boy who lived at the Petra Youth Ranch, 51572 W. Pima Road near West Farrell and North Ralston roads, is being called “the little hero” of his neighborhood after he saved his mother from their mobile home fire Friday morning, said the boy’s guardian, Faith Lupe Quintana.

The Petra Youth Ranch is part of the Christian Center Church where Quintana was a pastor until working on the ranch became a full-time job.

The fire occurred about 10:30 a.m., said Brian Gomez, spokesman for the American Red Cross Grand Canyon chapter.

The Ak-Chin Fire Department was the first to respond, followed by the Maricopa Fire Department, said Maricopa Fire Chief Wade Brannon.

Gomez said the mobile home “was completely destroyed.”

Quintana lived in the mobile home along with her daughter, Tara Mitchell, Clay Payton Isaiah Ray and two other children, Sasha, 5, and 7-year-old Haze.

Quintana said she is the guardian of all three children, who look upon her as their grandmother and Mitchell as their mother.

The family lost everything in the fire, from recent Christmas presents to clothes and jewelry.

“We’re homeless,” Quintana said.

Quintana said she was having coffee across the street Friday morning when Clay Payton Isaiah Ray, who is slightly autistic, came running across the street and told her there was smoke.

Mitchell, who is on medication for fibromyalgia, was asleep in the mobile home.

Quintana said the boy “practically dragged (Mitchell) out and saved her life.”

Two of the family’s cats were lost, but a third, who Quintana said was singed, is “still alive, but he looks horrible.”

Sasha and Haze were in school. The family is now staying with Mitchell’s father.