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A young boy was seriously injured in the devastating Philadelphia medevac jet crash while he was on an after-school trip to Dunkin’ Donuts with his family.
Andre ‘Trey’ Howard III, 10, was impaled by debris while protecting his younger sister when the plane crashed near the Roosevelt Mall on Friday.
His family told WPVI the boy miraculously survived emergency surgery – and his first questions when he woke up were about if his sister was okay, and if he had missed the Super Bowl.
A medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes.
All six people on board and a seventh person inside a vehicle on the ground died in the crash.
Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker said two more people who were hurt on the ground have been identified on Monday, bringing the total to 24 injured.
When the tragedy occurred, the 10-year-old was in the car with his father and two younger siblings, ages four and seven, getting their ‘usual strawberry doughnuts’ from Dunkin’ Donuts.
‘As we are leaving Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot, we were met with an explosion by the airplane crashing on Cottman Ave,’ Trey’s father, Andre Howard Jr., said on Facebook.
Andre ‘Trey’ Howard III (pictured), 10, was impaled by debris while protecting his younger sister when the plane crashed near the Roosevelt Mall on Friday
The 10-year-old was in the car with his father and two younger siblings, ages 4 and 7, getting their ‘usual strawberry donuts from Dunkin Donuts’ when the tragedy occurred
A medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening
‘In the process of the explosion, Trey jumps on his sister to cover her from the metal flying everywhere, in which he was struck in his head by a large piece of metal, causing him to pass out and begin bleeding out.’
Howard Jr. explained his son was rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital for an emergency brain surgery and then transferred to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for further treatment.
‘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,’ his mother, Lashawn Hamiel, told the local news station.
Howard Jr. said the family was warned Trey might not survive his injuries, but after a successful surgery, the boy is alert and talking.
‘To face death yesterday and speaking today, stepping up for his little sister, like I train him and his other little brothers to do off of instinct. He’s my hero,’ said Howard Jr.
When the 10-year-old woke up for surgery, he immediately wanted to know if his sister was okay.
‘[Trey asked] ‘Daddy, did I save my sister?’ Howard Jr. said. ‘It had me crying.’
Howard Jr. said his son told him, ‘You told us to get down. I was just trying to help my sister… next thing I know, I thought I died.’
The boy miraculously survived emergency surgery and immediately asked if his sister was okay and wanted to know if he had missed the Super Bowl
Trey’s (left) father, Andre Howard Jr. (right), said the family was warned he might not survive, but after a successful surgery, the boy is alert and talking
His mother, Lashawn Hamiel (pictured) said doctors are working to keep him stable while they determine his next steps of treatment
The proud father said his son is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan and was worried he might have missed the Super Bowl.
‘He asked me, ‘Daddy, what’s today?’ I was like, ‘Monday,” said Howard Jr.
‘[Trey said] ‘OK, wait. We didn’t play yesterday, did we?’ [Howard replied] ‘No, you didn’t miss the Super Bowl.”
Hamiel said doctors are working to keep him stable while determining his next treatment steps.
‘He’s strong, he’s a jokester, but he’s strong. He’s a superhero,’ the doting mother said.
The family set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for his medical treatment and recovery costs.
‘Andre faces a long and difficult road to recovery. Andre’s family is overwhelmed with the emotional and financial burden of this unexpected tragedy,’ the page said.
‘His medical care, which includes surgeries, therapy, and ongoing treatment, will be extensive. While Andre’s strength and resilience shine through, his recovery will require time, care and resources.’
