The medevac jet that crashed in Philadelphia on Friday, January 31, resulted in the deaths of all six of its occupants, which included a pediatric patient. On the ground, one person was killed as a result of the crash, and several were injured. Among those injured was a little boy named Andre who heroically shielded his sister from the incoming debris, injuring his head.
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Andre Howard Jr., the boy's father, talked with CNN and revealed how the incident took place from their perspective. He picked up his three children from school and then went to Dunkin' to get some donuts. However, while they were sharing a family moment, a "really loud bloom" followed by a "fireball that covered the whole entire sky" interrupted them, according to Howard.
The Howard family was inside Andre's truck at the moment of the crash. He put his truck in reverse to avoid the incoming debris. The whole scene was hellish. Howard saw cars engulfed in flames, people flying through the air, and even a man caught on fire.
Meanwhile, Andre Howard heard his 10-year-old son, Andre, telling his 4-year-old daughter, Ayura, to get down. He would then place himself on top of her, shielding her from the incoming debris. Both Ayura and his other son, a 7-year-old boy, were unharmed. However, his son Andre was gravely injured.
"I see my unconscious son with a piece of metal in his head. I got out of the truck and put a sock on his head, and as I moved him, the metal piece fell, and he was gushing out blood," Andre Howard Jr. told CNN, emotionally.
A Superhero
By saving his sister's life, the boy Andre ended up getting injured. He was rushed to a local hospital, where a medical team gave the father some troubling news. Given the gravity of his injuries, little Andre had a possibility of never walking again and having his vision impaired.
However, it appears that little Andre's heroism also protected him. Following surgery and a CAT scan, little Andre was transferred to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. According to his father, he is expected to walk again. Furthermore, his vision is fine.
In a heartwarming manner, Andre Howard Jr. revealed that the first words his son Andre said when waking up were, "Did I save her from the crash?". To him, his son is his "superhero."
"As a dad, I've always instilled in them [his two sons] to protect your sister when daddy is not around," Howard said. "And I'm grateful to have a son like Andre."
