Uncle suffers third-degree burns after rushing into a burning building to save 8-year-old girl
Read about the brave act of heroism and the severe injuries sustained in the rescue
In a courageous act of selflessness, a young man from Washington risked his life to save his eight-year-old niece from a house fire. Derrick Byrd, 20, rushed into the flames without hesitation after realizing the child was trapped inside. His quick thinking and bravery have earned him widespread recognition.
Byrd suffered severe burns on his face, back, and arms during the rescue. Despite the pain, he expressed no regret, stating that he would rather endure the burns than let his niece suffer.
“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,” Byrd told KOMO-TV.
The fire broke out in a home in Aberdeen, Washington, where Byrd and six family members were present, including his sister Kayla and her three children. As the fire spread, Byrd helped his nephews, Junior and Royce, escape by catching them as they jumped from a second-floor window. However, his niece, Mercedes, was too scared to jump after seeing her mother fall from the roof.
Realizing Mercedes was still inside, Byrd made the brave decision to re-enter the burning house. Battling the intense heat and flames, he wrapped his shirt around his niece’s face to protect her from the smoke and carried her to safety.
Byrd sustained second- and third-degree burns but said he would do it all over again without hesitation. “I’d run back in there and do it again even if I got burnt worse or died,” he remarked.
Despite many calling him a hero, Byrd humbly downplayed the title, saying, “I can’t say a hero. I’d just say for my niece and nephews, I wasn’t going to let them die.”
Derrick Byrd’s actions reflect true bravery, and his story serves as a reminder of the extraordinary courage that ordinary people can show in life-threatening situations.
