This Is The Hero Who Ran Into A Burning Home To Save His Young Niece
By Tristan Morehouse - Updated July 10, 2019
As the house burned down, a 20-year-old man proved he was a hero. Not only did he save his two young nephews from the flames, but he also dashed back into the burning building to save his sister's eight-year-old daughter. When asked why he was willing to risk his life for his niece, he said: "I wasn't going to let my niece die."
Although 20-year-old Derrick Byrd suffered second and third-degree burns, it was all worth it to save his nieces and nephews. However, the fire scorched Byrd's face, back, and arms and might leave scarring. Although his appearance might be affected for the remainder of his life, Byrd said that he'd do it all over again if he had to in order to save the children he adores more than anything in the world.
The fire started at the Byrd family home in Aberdeen, Washington. It happened early on Thursday morning when people were sleeping. As the fire started to pick up speed, there were six people sleeping inside the home.
As soon as he knew the fire was happening, Byrd leaped into action. He ran out of the home and then caught his two nephews as they jumped out of the second-story window. With them safely out of the burning home, Byrd left the boys, Junior and Rory, and then turned his attention to saving the life of his eight-year-old niece, Mercedes.
Although Mercedes was at the window, she was too afraid to make the jump. She became afraid when her mother, Kayla, slipped and fell while trying to get away on the roof. The scared the girl so much. Because she could not do it, she ran back into the burning home. With that, Byrd was left with no choice. He had to go back inside to save the little girl or know that if I didn't, she was going to die.
"She was screaming my name," Byrd told KOMO. "So I wasn't just going to let her sit there. I wasn't going to let my niece die."
When Byrd rushed back into the home, the fire and smoke were oppressive. Smoke burned his eyes, and the fire licked at his tender flesh, burning him with its horrible heat. As he pushed through the fire and smoke, he made it to the room where Mercedes was waiting for him.
The heroic uncle then rescued his niece from the fire, rushing out of the home as fast as possible. As the fire burned him, he pushed through and made it out of the home. He saved her.
Now reporters are swarming the heroic uncle's hospital bedside where he has issued a comment.
"Even though I got burnt, I really didn't care," he said. "I'd rather get burnt than her. She's young. She's still got a lot of stuff going for her. She's a good kid."
Because this man was willing to put his life at risk to save the young children, he is the kind of person who this world needs more of.
What do you think about this brave uncle's heroic act?