As a medical assistant in the pediatric department of University Hospitals' Family Care Center, helping people improve their lives is one of Marge Donald's daily duties.

But she also made a difference in the lives of complete strangers while on vacation last summer.

She was with three of her children and seven of her grandchildren in St. Louis when the Best Western hotel the family was staying at caught fire.

Donald's grandson and youngest son had both returned from the pool, where they noticed smoke.

No alarms had sounded, but when Donald opened the door of her room, she noticed the hallway was beginning to fill with smoke.

Her family quickly evacuated the hotel, and upon securing their safety, Donald felt there was more to be done.

Because of the faulty smoke detectors in the building, firefighters had yet to arrive. Against her family's wishes, Donald went back into the hotel to warn others and help them evacuate.

"I guess I just didn't think twice," she said. "It was just instinctual, and I knew kids were in there. It was an instant reaction."

Donald knocked on every door she could get to. She was able to warn and help five other families reach safety. The local fire department arrived at the hotel while she was still inside the building. The fire alarms never made a sound, and miraculously, Donald said, there were no casualties in the fire.

When asked about the impetus for the act of bravery, Donald modestly downplayed her actions.

"I don't know why I did it," she said. "I just knew there were people in there that needed to get out."

- Shawn Flickinger