Jason Sautel - The Rescuer: One Firefighters Story of Courage, Darkness, and the Relentless Love That Saved Him

PRAISE FOR THE RESCUER

This book will change your life. Why? Because it is just so real, raw, vulnerable, provocative, honest, and visceral. Jasons life and story cannot help but draw you in and transform you. What makes this book so powerful is that in the midst of all the struggles and danger, you cannot miss the beautiful story of redemption and hope. I am very happy to have read this book. You will be too!

DANIEL FUSCO, PASTOR, TELEVISION AND RADIO HOST, AUTHOR OF CRAZY HAPPY AND UPWARD, INWARD, OUTWARD

Incredibly raw... we repeatedly laughed and cried.... This book captures the harrowing and heart-wrenching life of a firefighter/first responder, and how he discovered that ultimately he was the one who needed to be rescued.

JOHNNY AGAR, AUTHOR, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, UNDER ARMOUR AMBASSADOR

Jason Sautel is the real deal. He is a real man with real stories about real transformation. Everything you read in this book comes from the soul of a person who lives life fully every step of the way.

LANCE C. HAHN, SENIOR PASTOR, BRIDGEWAY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, ROSEVILLE CA

The Rescuer is a beautiful story about the pain and suffering that sometimes steer us to the most wonderful parts of our lives. Jason writes about his pain and struggles, and how they ultimately led him not only to his amazing wife but to his Lord and Savior. I couldnt put this book down.

JENNIFER HOPPING, WIFE, MOM, KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

As a fellow first responder, I have seen and felt the darkness that Jason mentions. The Rescuer is inspiring, and it shows how the love of a good woman and the Lord can change a man and save him.

DEPUTY SCOTT BROWN, SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

I cant recommend this book enough to anyone who feels lost, has been saved or been the one to save, loves firefighter stories, questions their faith, or just wants to read about how one man made it out of the darkness through faith.

SARA M., TRAINING SPECIALIST

Jasons testimony is honest, raw, and inspiring. His story will benefit first responders of all backgrounds by reminding them that life is possible after so much loss.

BRANDON MATTSON, FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC

Jason Sautel is one of the most interesting people Ive ever met. At a time when good storytelling is hard to find, this guys testimony is a breath of fresh air. The Rescuer is quite a redemption tale, and its just the tip of the Sautel iceberg. Cant wait to see what he does next.

ROB ELLIOTT, PASTOR

Jason explains well the closeness firefighters develop at the dinner table. It also struck me how much courage it took to write something so personal and revealing about his home life. He is sharing a very emotional part of his life with the world and those of us who know him. This book examines the close living situations of our fire department and the complex events we encounter in a very credible way. He carefully weaves a tale that encompasses the heart of his experiences in the service.

Though Jason is careful to make his characters generic, I can see some of my influence in his life. We take mentorship seriously at the firehouse, and I hope what we try to teach will help our family. I watched Jason grow and saw the change that came over him when Kristie came into his life. He became a whole new person. I would like to think there were a few things I have said that also encouraged him down that path. I am so glad he has prospered and is willing to share his experiences. This is how we pay it forward and mentor. Jason is now the mentor, and though he has left the department, he is still completing one of the most important tasks we are given as firefighters.

LIEUTENANT SHERRI BANKS (RETIRED)

The Rescuer

2020 Jason Sautel

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Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Nelson Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Nelson Books and Thomas Nelson are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Sautel, Jason, 1974- author.

Title: The rescuer: one firefighters story of courage, darkness, and the relentless love that saved him / Jason Sautel; with D. R. Jacobsen.

Description: Nashville, Tennessee : Thomas Nelson, [2020] | Summary: The true storytold with heart-pounding action and heart-melting romanceof a heroic firefighter forced to confront an emergency even he cant handle: saving himselfProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019050443 (print) | LCCN 2019050444 (ebook) | ISBN 9781400216475 (HC) | ISBN 9781400216482 (ePub)

Epub Edition June 2020 9781400216482

Subjects: LCSH: Fire fighters. | Fire extinction. | Rescues.

Classification: LCC HD8039.F5 S378 2020 (print) | LCC HD8039.F5 (ebook) | DDC 363.37092--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019050443

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019050444

Printed in United States of America

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This book is dedicated to anyone who is lost, hurt, and lonely. I want you to know that the hope I found is there for you too.

CONTENTS

1. Chapter 1
   A Bridge to Evil
2. Chapter 2
   Whose Fault Was It?
3. Chapter 3
   The Familiar Darkness
4. Chapter 4
   Day Off
5. Chapter 5
   Apartment #312
6. Chapter 6
   Mr. Weis Donuts And Chinese Cuisine
7. Chapter 7
   Jaws of Life
8. Chapter 8
   Dress Code
9. Chapter 9
   Ready
10. Chapter 10
    Mothers Day
11. Chapter 11
    Alone
12. Chapter 12
    House of Love
13. Chapter 13
    Girl Time
14. Chapter 14
    Rescue
15. Chapter 15
    First Date
16. Chapter 16
    Hit and Running
17. Chapter 17
    Uncharted Territory
18. Chapter 18
    The Firehouse and the World Outside

I WAS PRIVILEGED TO serve the city of Oakland for nearly two decades as a first responder.

I started as an Alameda County paramedic, then soon joined the Oakland Fire Department (OFD) as a firefighter/paramedic. I worked in every district and firehouse across the city with hundreds of men and women who became my brothers and sisters, but I considered West Oakland my home district.

The events in this book took place while I was with the OFD during my twenties. Along the way I talk about danger and darkness. I talk about real fires that burned real victims. Real emergencies that took real lives. And I struggle with that because my story overlaps with other peoples painwith people who maybe dont want strangers reading about their kid or parent in harms way. Or even dying.