“People get tired of being saved,” she explained to me.

“Sometimes you have to let them keep their pride.”

One winter night, the shop caught fire.

Gregory went back inside because he thought a young apprentice was still in the rear office.

Smoke filled the corridor.

Violet, who had seen the flames from across the street, shouted that the apprentice was already safe and helped guide Gregory toward the exit.

She later spent weeks recovering from smoke exposure.