A 10-year-old boy who was hospitalized following the Philadelphia medical jet crash is being hailed as a hero for saving his sister’s life.
Andre Howard III, known as “Trey,” was out on a doughnut run with his dad and sister after school when they found themselves near the site of the tragic incident that caused a massive crater on Cottman Avenue in the northeast side of the city.
Trey’s dad told local media outlets that as debris from the crash fell to the ground, the grade schooler shielded his sister, likely saving her life.
According to Trey’s dad, they initially heard a sound they thought was a car crash. Suddenly, they witnessed a large fireball in the sky followed by debris flying in all directions.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed on Monday that a total of 24 individuals were injured during the plane crash, with four of them still receiving medical treatment. Among those injured, two were in critical condition while the other two were reported to be stable.
Seven people died as a result of the crash; six Mexican nationals in the jet and a person in a car.
Newly-appointed U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was in Philadelphia on Monday, where he said a preliminary report on the crash should be available “within 30 days” and the jet’s black box was on its way to Washington, D.C.
