Andre "Trey" Howard and his dad Andre Howard Jr. at a Sixers game. Try was injured while in a car with his dad during the plane crash in Northeast Philly on Friday.
Andre "Trey" Howard was in the back seat of his dad's car on Friday evening with his siblings Kameron and Ayura.
It was time for their usual Friday evening excursion - a trip to Dunkin' Donuts to get one of their favorite treats - a strawberry donut.
As they were pulling out of the parking lot, something that couldn't even be a realistic nightmare ensued.
A plane fell out of the air, crashing to the ground up the street. The impact was so fast and hard that the pieces of the plane and debris traveled several blocks in every direction.
As the metal was flying, Howard, just 10-years-old, started screaming for his sister Ayura to duck. Howard laid himself on top of his sister to shield her further, when suddenly a large piece of metal crashed through the window and struck him in the head.
He began bleeding out. A good Samaritan took off his shirt and applied the pressure to Howard's head to try and stop the bleeding. One of the police officers who quickly responded to the scene put Howard into his cruiser and rushed him to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital.
Once there, doctors told his dad, Andre Howard, Jr., that they would need to perform emergency brain surgery to try to save his life - a procedure not normally done on children at that hospital.
But, the doctors' were able to perform the surgery. It was successful, and Howard was transferred to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where he is in recovery.
"Andre is still here with us," Howard Jr. posted to his Facebook page Saturday night. "Thanks to God! And also to all the prayers that were sent up for him. Today we are in Day One of a long road to recovery.
Andre "Trey" Howard (credit: Andre Howard Jr. on Facebook)
"Trey you are a superhero! And you are loved by so many people! We are going to take it one day at a time, son! And keep our faith in God along the journey."
Trey Howard was one of 19 reported injuries following the crash of a medical transfer plane onto Cottman Ave. Friday night that killed seven people - including all six on the plane. The six members on the plane were all Mexican nationals, that included two pilots, two doctors, a 11-year-old patient who had just completed a life-saving procedure at Shriner's Hospital, and the patient's mother.
One additional person, who was in a car on the ground, perished in the crash.
Howard Jr. spoke to 6ABC and told the network, "They told us my son wasn't supposed to make it."
After getting through the surgery, doctor's feared that Trey would never walk again, but he has made a miraculous turn around overnight and there is far more optimism.
"It's hard seeing him like that," his mother, Lashawn Hamiel told 6ABC. "As a mother, what am I supposed to do. But he's good. He's pushing through.
