9-Year-Old Saves Brother From Burning House
By: Josh Berry, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 14, 2012
A 9-year-old Clark County boy is being considered a hero after pulling his younger brother out of his family's burning home.
The courageous young man had to think fast and act quickly.
Elijah McBride says it wasn't long after they got out and the fire department arrived that they lost everything and the house was completely leveled.
Besides a few pieces of a passed-down china set, nothing remains of this family's Clark County home.
Just two days ago, Tywanna Allen's boys had nothing on their mind besides what they wanted for Christmas.
But Friday, they're thankful they'll see one at all.
Thursday morning as 9-year-old Elijah and his 5-year-old brother, Isaac, were getting ready for school, the holidays changed for them.
"What I saw was sparks and smoke," Elijah said. "The couch caught on fire."
Elijah immediately knew what to do.
"I got my brother and went outside."
He called 911 as he watched his house burn down.
Allen couldn't be more proud of her son. She says being prepared for something like this is something she's tried to ingrain in her son.
"You can tell him something and he's going to remember it," she said.
Now they consider the 9-year-old a hero for saving his little brother.
"He's the only person I play with every day," Elijah said. "If I didn't have him I'd be really bored."
Now as Christmas approaches, Allen and her boyfriend are trying to keep everything as normal as possible to keep the kids from worrying.
"Can't let my kids not have a Christmas," said Jerome Williams. "They've got to have a Christmas."
While it mattered for Elijah two days ago, it now seems to be the last thing on his mind.
He explained, "I really can't think of anything [I want]."
The family is also thankful school hadn't let out for holiday break yet because had it been, the boys likely would have been asleep when the house caught fire.
The courageous young man had to think fast and act quickly.
Elijah McBride says it wasn't long after they got out and the fire department arrived that they lost everything and the house was completely leveled.
Besides a few pieces of a passed-down china set, nothing remains of this family's Clark County home.
Just two days ago, Tywanna Allen's boys had nothing on their mind besides what they wanted for Christmas.
But Friday, they're thankful they'll see one at all.
Thursday morning as 9-year-old Elijah and his 5-year-old brother, Isaac, were getting ready for school, the holidays changed for them.
"What I saw was sparks and smoke," Elijah said. "The couch caught on fire."
Elijah immediately knew what to do.
"I got my brother and went outside."
He called 911 as he watched his house burn down.
Allen couldn't be more proud of her son. She says being prepared for something like this is something she's tried to ingrain in her son.
"You can tell him something and he's going to remember it," she said.
Now they consider the 9-year-old a hero for saving his little brother.
"He's the only person I play with every day," Elijah said. "If I didn't have him I'd be really bored."
Now as Christmas approaches, Allen and her boyfriend are trying to keep everything as normal as possible to keep the kids from worrying.
"Can't let my kids not have a Christmas," said Jerome Williams. "They've got to have a Christmas."
While it mattered for Elijah two days ago, it now seems to be the last thing on his mind.
He explained, "I really can't think of anything [I want]."
The family is also thankful school hadn't let out for holiday break yet because had it been, the boys likely would have been asleep when the house caught fire.
