Courtesy Edmonton Journal:

Acts of bravery and courage are nothing new to the Edmonton Eskimos family and the community is all the better for it.

Eskimos linebacker Kitwana Jones is the latest member of the Green and Gold to go above and beyond the call of duty as he helped tackle a thief, who had made off with a middle-aged woman’s purse and computer early Tuesday morning.

“Helping an elderly woman like that, or a person in need. I would throw myself out there into a fire to help out,” the six-foot, 240-pounder, who celebrated his 28th birthday two weeks ago, said on Tuesday.

It was just seven years ago that a group of Eskimos did, helping save the life of a woman trapped in a fire at a complex formerly known as the River Valley Apartments.

“I had just heard about that,” said a smiling Jones, of the previous incident.

“It just goes to show you that we’re more than just athletes. We’re guys with hearts out here who care about the community.”

The fire occurred Sept. 22, 2002, when former Eskimos Winston October, Rahim Abdullah, Sheldon Benoit, Ronald Williams and Bruce Beaton assisted in the emergency.

“I remember it well. I had a call from one of the assistant coaches at the time, Rick Campbell,” recalled Esks director of communications Dave Jamieson.

“I went down and obviously it was a very serious situation where a woman had to jump from a burning suite.”

The group of Eskimos picked up six bystanders to form a human basket and caught the woman, who leaped from the fourth floor.

“There was considerable notoriety. I know Winston and Ron had appeared on CNN on Connie Chung’s show, interviewed from the stadium here, which was kinda neat,” said Jamieson. “That event, it was great to see how our guys responded and they were right in there. The police and fire officials applauded them for what they did that day.”

As they should and did with Jones.

“I think it says something about the people we have here and the character on this team that they would step forward and do that type of thing. This is no different,” said Jamieson, of Jones’ heroics.

“I heard about it,” said smiling Esks head coach Richie Hall, of Tuesday’s bravery. “He’s the hero.

“He’s a classy person, a selfless person,” added Hall, of Jones. “When you hear about people in the spotlight, especially professional athletes, you hear enough bad things. It’s nice to know that people acknowledge the good things they do.

“I always think it’s important you do the right thing and he did the right thing. It’s so easy where we get ourselves in situations where we don’t do the right thing,” continued Hall. “It’s good for our society. It’s more than just football, it’s about our world, our community.”

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