A young man from Aberdeen is fighting the pain of serious burns after rushing back into a burning house to save his niece. Derrick Byrd from his hospital bed said he’d do it again.
The 20-year-old has 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his face, back and arms and at Harborview Medical Center after he was airlifted to the hospital after the Thursday morning fire in his home.
“Even though I got burnt,” said Byrd. “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.” With gauze covering his face, Byrd wants you to know how special his niece Mercedes and nephews Junior and Rory are. That is why when the fire broke out he jumped into action helping the kids’ mother, Kayla, his sister, get the kids out of the second-floor window.