A man who planned to propose to his girlfriend on New Year’s Eve was reportedly killed in a California house fire after he saved several family members on Christmas morning.

Christopher Weatherford, Jr., 37, died on Christmas Day after he rescued his father and at least two other relatives, according to a GoFundMe account post started by a neighbor of the Weatherford family.

“Early on Christmas morning, our neighborhood was shaken by the sight of fire trucks and ambulances filling the street. What we soon learned was nothing short of heartbreaking: our neighbor, Steve Weatherford Sr., and other family members visiting for the holidays were inside the home when it caught fire,” the GoFundMe post read. “His son, Steve Weatherford Jr. rescued him and those in the home and then never made it out.”

The neighbors said the younger Weatherford was visiting his father from out of town for the holidays, adding that his loved ones have lived in the home for more than four decades.

“We later learned that he planned to propose to his girlfriend on New Year’s Eve,” according to the GoFundMe. “All of the neighbor’s know the Weatherfords to be a lovely, kind and warm family. They have lived in the neighborhood for over 40 years and Steve Jr. grew up on the block.”

The New York Times on Monday reported “Weatherford was sleeping in the living room of his childhood home” on Christmas when his younger brother woke up around 6:30 a.m. and “saw smoke coming out from underneath the television.”

The GoFundMe notes Weatherford rushed to alert family members and get them out of the house.

Multiple media outlets reported Weatherford died while he was searching for the engagement ring, but the neighbors said that’s not true.

“Some of the news stories circulating have said that Steve Jr. first rescued the family and then went back inside to look for an engagement ring,” the GoFundMe notes. “Steve Sr. said this didn’t happen and he never made it out in the first place. Steve Jr. woke up every one in the house to get them out.

“His last memory of his son was him yelling and running up the stairs to get him. He thought his son was right behind him as he stumbled out the back door, then thought maybe he had run out the front. But he never made it. He said, ‘My son was a true hero. He saved our lives, and I want the world to know that.’ “

Have a news tip? Contact Jessica Botelho at jabotelho@sbgtv.com or at x.com/J_Botelho_TND.