Uncle left with third-degree burns after running into burning building to save 8-year-old girl

Washington Man Hailed a Hero After Saving Niece from Burning Home

Derrick Byrd, 20, is being praised for rescuing his 8-year-old niece from a house fire in Aberdeen, Washington. Byrd suffered second and third-degree burns to his face, back, and arms after running back into the burning home when his niece, Mercedes, was too scared to jump from a window.

“I’d rather get burnt than her,” Byrd told KOMO-TV. “She’s young, she’s got a lot going for her.”

The fire broke out while Byrd, his sister Kayla, and her three children were inside. Byrd caught his two nephews as they jumped from a second-floor window, but Mercedes froze after seeing her mother fall from the roof. Without hesitation, Byrd rushed inside, shielding Mercedes from smoke and carrying her out.

Despite his injuries, Byrd said he’d do it again: “Even if I got burnt worse or died.” When called a hero, he humbly replied: “I wasn’t going to let them die.”

Credit: ABC News