Hero at 10 years: how a child saved the life of his little sister during the Philadelphia plane crash
An act of courage starring a child of only 10 years has captured the attention of Philadelphia And beyond. Andre Howardwho suffered a serious head injury when impacted by a metal fragment during a air accidentHe managed to protect his younger sister in the midst of chaos at the expense of his safety.
As reported by the media ABC 6 Action Newsthe incident occurred last Friday afternoon, when an ambulance plane Learjet 55 destined to Branson, Missouri, He crashed near Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenueleaving a balance of seven people killed and numerous injured.
According to his father’s story, also called Andre Howardthe family was in their car when the plane rushed. “We listen to what we thought was a car shockbut then we saw a fireball in the air and rubble flying everywhere”He explained to the local television. At that time, the young Andre reacted quickly by shouting at his younger sister to bend down, while protecting her with her body.
“My son, who bears my name, tells her little sister: ‘Watch up’. And grabs it. So I heard the glass break”, Explained the father of the child.
The impact was devastating. A fragment of the plane crossed the glass of the vehicle and embedded in the child’s head. “I turned around and I saw A piece of metal Leaving my son’s head, ”said the man.
In the middle of chaos, a passerby went to the place and, without hesitation, used his own shirt To apply pressure on the child’s wound, trying to stop bleeding. Shortly after, a Philadelphia police officer urgently transferred the child to Jefferson Torresdale Hospitalwhere doctors attended him immediately.
As detailed by the father to ABC 6 Action News, The doctors initially had no hope that the child would survive due to the seriousness of the injury.
“They told us that my son should survive,” he confessed. In addition, he explained that the hospital does not usually treat pediatric traumas, but this time they made an exception. “Yes they did for us, they have nothing to envy to God,” he added.
The child’s mother, Lashawn Hamielexpressed in tears the difficulty of seeing his son in that condition. “As a mother, What are I supposed to do?”He said to the middle, highlighting his son’s strength. “But he is fine. He is going forward. ”
The father also praised his son’s courage, highlighting that his reaction was instinctive and result of the values that he has instilled in them. “Yesterday he faced death And today he spoke, defending his little sister, as I taught him and his other little brothers to instinct. He is my hero, ”Howard said during his interview on February 1.
Doctors continue to monitor Andre’s condition, focusing on Keep it stable and comfortable while evaluating the next steps in their recovery. As his mother explained to the middle, the child continues to show a positive attitude despite the seriousness of the situation.
“It’s strong, he’s a joker, but he’s strong. It is a superhero, ”said Hamiel.
The efforts to know what went wrong and the reasons behind the tragic accident continue and the research work intensifies, especially after the afternoon of February 2, authorities of the National Transport Security Board (NTSB) will communicate the finding of the Cabin voice recorder (CVR), better known as “Black box”, of the aircraft.
