A man from Washington is being called a hero after he ran into a burning house to save his eight-year-old niece.
According to reports, 20-year-old Derrick Byrd suffered second and third-degree burns on his face, back, and arms after rushing into the house when he realized his niece was trapped inside.
Speaking to KOMO-TV, Byrd said: “Even though I got burnt, I didn’t really care. I’d rather get burnt than her. She’s young and still has so much ahead of her. She’s a good kid.”
The fire broke out in a home in Aberdeen, Washington, while Derrick Byrd and six other family members were inside, including his sister Kayla and her three children.
When the fire spread, Byrd helped his nephews, Junior and Royce, jump out of a second-story window to safety. However, his eight-year-old niece Mercedes was too scared to jump after watching her mother, Kayla, fall from the roof.
Without hesitating, Byrd ran back into the burning house to save Mercedes. He quickly felt the flames burning him.
“I could feel it burning me,” he said.
Byrd wrapped his shirt around Mercedes’ face to protect her from the smoke and carried her out of the house as fast as he could.
Despite suffering burns, Byrd said he’d do it all again if needed.
“I’d run back in there and do it again, even if I got burnt worse or died,” he said.
When people called him a hero, Byrd humbly responded, “I wouldn’t say I’m a hero. I just wasn’t going to let my niece and nephews die.”
For a quarter of a century, a man has made his home in a cave alongside his faithful dog: Come explore what their life looks like inside this secluded retreat!
It’s remarkable that despite the conveniences of modern technology, some people still choose to use outdated tools and methods. Consider the example of a 67-year-old man who has dedicated his efforts to constructing an intricate cave system, demonstrating that age is no barrier to undertaking ambitious projects.
With limited financial means, he has poured his heart into this work, employing only simple tools like a shovel and a cart. Although he does not have a formal education, he takes pride in his craftsmanship and believes that others will recognize the quality of his work.
When he started digging in 1987, he could not have imagined that his creation would gain such fame and acclaim, adorned with a variety of artifacts on its walls. The stunning beauty of his caves, known as Ra Paulet’s caverns, makes it difficult to assign a financial value to them.
To date, he has completed 14 caves and is currently working on his 15th, which he claims will surpass all his previous efforts. For more information, check out the video below.
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