Welcome to the Evolving Man Project’s “Evolved Man of the Week” profile. Each week, we will highlight an individual who embodies what it means to be an evolved, famous, and non-famous man. The world needs to know their stories and deeds. This week’s honor goes to the school caretaker and the Senegalese French hero, Fousseynou Cissé.
A 39-year-old receptionist from a high school climbed onto the ledge from a neighboring apartment, coming within inches of the burning apartment window. On the ledge, Mr. Cissé took a baby in a diaper from the mother and gave it to a friend in the next apartment, ensuring the child was safe from the fire.
Mr. Cissé helped five more people across the ledge, then climbed to safety himself, repeating a previous event. Someone in the audience filmed the event and shared it on the internet. Cissé’s heroism quickly spread like wildfire on French TV and social media.
On the evening of Friday, July 4, 2025 around 5:00 p.m., a fire broke out in a building on Rue de la Chapelle in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Two families were stuck in a burning apartment on the sixth and highest floor. Fousseynou Cissé, who lived next door, promptly left his apartment and sat on a zinc ledge positioned between two windows. At a height of twenty meters, the Senegalese man retrieved two mothers, two children (aged 9 and 11 years), and two infants (5 and 15 months old).
A neighbor who said the rescued individuals would have “died of asphyxiation” informed Le Parisien that the 39-year-old father of two would not have intervened. Smoke inhalation caused ten of the building’s occupants to be hospitalized, the Paris prosecutor’s office reported.
Mr. Cissé’s bravery impressed French authorities, such as Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, who announced on Monday, July 6, that he would honor the Good Samaritan with a medal. President Emmanuel Macron also phoned Fousseynou Cissé to offer his congratulations for his valor. The head of state expressed his gratitude “for your bravery and the families you saved.” He then asked the Senegalese man and his family to be his guests at the July 14, 2025 parade, where they would watch from the grandstand.
As a receptionist in Paris schools, Fousseynou Cissé, who possesses a private and family life residence permit, worked under a short-term agreement. The city could not employ him before because of his administrative status.
Despite this, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has determined to provide him with a permanent job “in the next few days.” “His incredible heroic act, his extraordinary courage and composure have deeply moved us all,” the mayor wrote on her Instagram account.
Fousseynou Cissé himself tells about his daring rescue:
“These people were in danger, I didn’t stop to think,”…“It was only when I watched the footage that I realized I was also in a very dangerous position.”
We at the Evolving Man Project salute Fousseynou Cissé for his heroic actions and quick thinking. Thanks to him, a family remains, alive and well. Today, we honor Fousseynou Cissé as our Evolved Man of the Week.
Evolving Folks Project 