PHILADELPHIA — A remarkable recovery story is emerging from a tragic plane crash in Philadelphia, where a 10-year-old boy has been dubbed a hero for shielding his younger sister from debris. This incident unfolded last week when a medical transport plane crashed, leaving the family grateful for the young boy’s courage, according to his relatives.
One of the first questions that Trey Howard posed to his father, Andre Howard Jr., after regaining consciousness following emergency brain surgery was, “Daddy, did I save my sister?” Andre had taken his children out for donuts when disaster struck on Friday night.
“It felt like a missile was firing metal at my car and the cars around me,” Andre Howard recounted in an interview. As the chaos erupted, he quickly reversed his vehicle while Trey instinctively shielded his sister, instructing her to “Get down!” In that moment, Trey heroically protected her, even as he sustained injuries from flying glass and debris.
“When I looked back, I could see a piece of metal protruding from my son’s head,” Andre said, revealing the severity of Trey’s injuries.
In an urgent attempt to staunch the bleeding, Andre used socks he had and accepted help from another passerby who provided a shirt. A police officer arrived promptly and transported them to a nearby hospital. Although doctors initially cautioned the family about Trey’s critical condition, he has shown significant improvement each day since.
Upon waking from the surgery, Trey immediately inquired about his sister’s well-being. His father reassured him that he had not missed the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl game against the Kansas City Chiefs, bringing a smile to the young boy amid the turmoil.
The horrifying plane crash took the lives of all six individuals aboard the Learjet 55 air ambulance, one of whom was a girl receiving treatment at Shriners Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. On the ground, a seventh individual in a car was also killed, while 24 others sustained injuries. Authorities have stated that the number of fatalities may continue to fluctuate as the investigation into the crash proceeds.
