A 10-year-old boy who shielded his younger sister during a deadly plane crash is recovering after emergency brain surgery. Trey Howard suffered a severe head injury when a Learjet 55 crashed near Roosevelt Mall, sending wreckage flying toward his family’s car.
Trey, his father, and two siblings were in the car when the plane came down. His father, Andre Howard Jr., described the impact as sounding like gunfire, with debris striking vehicles in every direction.
As the wreckage flew toward them, Trey acted fast—grabbing his sister and covering her just before a large piece of metal struck him. His father turned to find his son badly injured, with metal lodged in his head.
Andre and a bystander used whatever they could find—socks and a shirt—to slow the bleeding before a police officer rushed Trey to the hospital. Doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia worked through the night to save him, warning the family that his survival was uncertain.
When Trey woke up, his first words were, “Daddy, did I save my sister?” His father, holding back tears, told him that he had. The crash had taken the lives of seven people, including all four crew members and two passengers on the medical transport flight. A man in a passing vehicle was also killed, and 24 others were injured.
Trey’s spirits were lifted when 76ers player Tyrese Maxey visited him in the hospital. His family remains by his side as he continues to recover, grateful for the overwhelming support from the community.
