A Washington man is rightfully being hailed a hero after charging into a burning home to save his eight-year-old niece.
Reports detail how 20-year-old Derrick Byrd suffered second and third-degree burns on his face, back, and arms, having rushed into the building when he became aware his niece was trapped.
Speaking to KOMO-TV, he said: “Even though I got burnt, I really didn’t care, though. 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.”
The fire, at a home in Aberdeen, Washington is believed to have started while Byrd and six other family members were inside, including his sister, Kayla, and her three children.
Byrd caught his nephews, Junior and Royce, when they jumped from a window on the second floor. His eight-year-old niece Mercedes, however, was too afraid to jump after having watched Kayla fall from the roof.
Without thinking, Byrd dashed back into the house to rescue her. Within moments, he could feel the flames on him.
“I could feel it burning me,” he explained.
“I got her and took my shirt off and put it around her face so she wouldn’t breathe in any smoke and I just carried her out as fast as I could.”
True hero
What’s more, despite suffering injuries, Byrd said he would do it again if he had to.
“I’d run back in there and do it again even if I got burnt worse or died.”
Commenting on all those dubbing him a hero, he simply replied: “I can’t say a hero. I’d just say for my niece and nephews, I wasn’t going to let them die.”
What a genuine hero Derrick Byrd truly is. In moments like that, people’s true colours are shown, and Derrick can certainly be proud of his.
King Charles’s funeral plans being updated in light of cancer treatment – ‘It’s not good,’ claims insider
King Charles III is revising his funeral plans following a cancer diagnosis, discovered during treatment for an enlarged prostate. Despite continuing state duties amid regular treatments, insider reports suggest his health is more serious than publicly known.
This has prompted updates to ‘Operation Menai Bridge,’ the protocol for his funeral, similar to the plans following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
Amid these health concerns, dynamics within the Royal Family are also highlighted as Prince Harry visited his father post-diagnosis.
Speculation arises that Charles might seek a reconciliation, possibly inviting Harry and Meghan to Balmoral for a family reunion, emphasizing his wish to see his grandchildren.
These developments reflect both Charles’s personal challenges and his ongoing commitment to his royal responsibilities as he navigates his health issues.
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