The 33-year-old, known to friends as Billy, flashed back to that smoke-filled terror when he heard the screams Wednesday night from a fourth-floor apartment.

Cretan was working with his then-girlfriend, Desiree Guzman, inside their electronics business near the burning building.

She watched as he grabbed a ladder and scrambled onto the fire escape.

Minutes later, Cretan was lugging the semi-conscious youth down to waiting rescue workers.

"He saved my boy's life," said Pharbodial Ramcharran, 40, after his son's rescue.

"Nothing else matters. My boy looked pretty good this morning. He hugged and kissed me."

During his television appearance, Cretan segued from an interview to an engagement. "You know that I'm a handful already, we both know that," Cretan told 24-year-old Desiree.

"I promise you one thing, there's never going to be a dull moment.

"So therefore will you marry me anyway?" His girlfriend, after agreeing, shared a kiss and a long hug with her new

. . her new fiancee.

“You’re crazy, you know that?” she asked. “Yes,” he replied.

Christopher was expected to stay for another few days recovering at the Jacobi Medical Center, his father said.

The unassuming Cretan, before popping the question, praised the injured boy. “He’s a brave little kid,” Cretan said.

“He’s really strong to go through what he went through.”

I only saw the Fox video. A strange and interesting man. He deserves some praise for his quick reaction to the plight of the little boy.