Mace Jefferson didn't hesitate when he saw the terrified young girl standing in the window of the burning house on Thursday afternoon.
Her expression was blank with fear.
Instinct took over and the 16-year-old kicked in the window with his bare foot.
"He said 'my instinct was just to kick the window in because she was just staring at me'," his mother Alicia Jefferson said.
As another rescuer jumped through the window to save the five-year-old girl from the burning house at Swansea in Lake Macquarie, Mace reeled back from the pain - his Achilles tendon was slashed when his foot hit the glass.
Tragically, another girl, also aged five, could not be saved and was found dead at the scene.
An 87-year-old woman who lived with the two girls was taken to hospital in a serious condition, suffering burns.
Mace, who police have hailed as a hero, had surgery on his leg at John Hunter Hospital on Friday afternoon.
"We're all really proud of him. To be honest, I'm not surprised. Mace is a massive empath, he's always looking out for others," Ms Jefferson said.
"I think he just wants to get the operation out of the way and move forward with the recovery."
Mace and his mates had been to the beach during their lunch break from their carpentry course at Belmont TAFE.
Mace, Archie and Fletch were driving back along Northcote Avenue at Swansea when they came across the unfolding tragedy.
Another group of boys also stopped to help.
"They got out and went to the screen door, but it was locked," Ms Jefferson said.
"A few of them tried to go around the back, but there were things blowing up. It was happening really fast."
With that Mace decided he had to act to save the girl.
TAFE advised the boys' parents of what had occurred.
"We actually got to the hospital 20 minutes before the ambulance," Ms Jefferson said.
Mace's recovery is likely to take about three months.
A GoFundMe page - Help Support 16-Year-Old Hero Mace Jefferson - has been set up to assist the teen who will be unable to work due to his injury.
"It's been a really big ordeal. I'm sure that it will come up in different ways as time goes on but it's just one thing at a time right now," Ms Jefferson said.
"He's just got his licence and he bought a Hilux that he has been paying off with his job; this is definitely a bit of a blow for him."
The fundraiser had raised $8765 on Friday afternoon.
Forensic police continued their investigation into the fire on Friday.
