‘Daddy, did I save my sister?’ 10-yr-old boy’s first words after surviving Philly jet crash melts hearts

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: A 10-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after protecting his younger sister during a catastrophic air ambulance crash in northeast Philadelphia.

The tragedy, which occurred on Friday, January 31, left at least 24 people injured and claimed the lives of all six onboard the jet, along with at least one person on the ground, as reported by ABC News.

10-year-old saves sister in crash, stuns family with first words after surgery

A 10-year-old boy who shielded his younger sister during last week’s deadly air ambulance crash in Philadelphia continues to make a miraculous recovery after he was injured by falling debris from the plane crash.

While his survival alone is extraordinary, his first words after undergoing brain surgery reveal just how much of a hero he truly is.

Andre Howard Jr, also known as Trey, stunned his father with his first question in the hospital. It was not about his injuries, but about football.

“‘Daddy, what’s today?’ he asked me,” Andre Howard Sr told ABC News.

“‘Monday,’ I said. ‘OK, wait. We didn’t play yesterday, did we?’ ‘No, you didn’t miss the Super Bowl'," he further said.

The die-hard Eagles fan was relieved, but his next concern was about his sister.

"'Daddy, did I save my sister?'" Trey asked. His father fought back tears as the young boy said, "'You told us to get down. I was just trying to help my sister… next thing I know, I thought I died.'"

For Andre Sr, the moment was bittersweet. "I’m glad he listened, but that’s my job, not his, to protect his sister," the emotional father said.

The outpouring of support has been overwhelming. One of his favorite NBA players, 76ers star Tyrese Maxey, even visited him in the hospital to lift his spirits.

“He says thank you to everybody. He cries, 'Daddy, I’m a celebrity,'" Andre Sr said.

"'No, you’re bigger than a celebrity. You’re a superhero'," he recalled telling his brave son.

Andre Howard Jr hit by debris while shielding his sister

Andre Howard Jr was in the car with his father and siblings when the aircraft came down.

Andre Howard Sr was taking his three children, ages 4, 7, and 10, to pick up donuts at the time of the crash. He recalled the terrifying moment.

“Hear what we thought was a car crash," he said. "But then, you see a fury of fire in the air and then a bunch of debris shooting everywhere."

The father said he attempted to use a nearby building as a barrier to protect his family from the flying debris.

"Sounded like a missile was firing bullets, metal at my car, everyone else's car," Andre recalled. "You see a car on fire, a man walking on fire. It was just crazy."

“My son tells his little sister, ‘Get down,’ and he grabs her. I hear the glass shatter. I turn around. There’s a piece of metal sticking out of my son’s head from the plane,” said Howard Sr.

A bystander rushed to help, using his shirt to apply pressure to the wound before a police officer transported the family to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital. Doctors warned that the boy might not survive and initially believed he would never walk again.

Yet, after emergency surgery and a transfer to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the young survivor defied expectations overnight.

The father explained, "To face death yesterday and speaking today, stepping up for his little sister like I train him and his other brothers to do off of instinct? He’s my hero." 

Lashawn Hamiel, the boy’s mother, called him a superhero. She informed that he was holding up well despite everything the family was going through.

"My baby in there, it’s hard seeing him like that. As a mother, what am I supposed to do? But he’s good. He’s pushing through. He’s strong. He’s a jokester, but he’s strong," she said.

Hamiel created a GoFundMe page to help cover her son’s medical expenses. The funds will go toward his surgeries, therapy, and continued treatment as he recovers.

Internet lauds 10-year-old 'brave young man' who saved his sister during plane crash

People took to social media platforms to hail the young hero, Andre Howard Jr. There was an outpouring of heartfelt messages online.

One user shared, "That story of that 10-year-old saving his sister during a plane crash before he ends up needing brain surgery from his own injuries, but then woke up and immediately asked about his sister has been on my mind since I read it."

Another added, "God bless this young man!"

 "This little man needs to be in a suite at the game," said one, referencing to the upcoming Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

Another suggested, "Get this kid a part in a Marvel movie."

Even sports fans are rallying around him, with one person tagging the Eagles and saying, "If this young heroic man is in shape to travel, get him to the Super Bowl this weekend! He deserves the opportunity of a lifetime… a lifetime that was almost cut short."

Another commented, "Awww. What a sweet story, and brave young man."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.