Philly plane crash: NE community gathers to help those impacted by crash
NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA - After a Learjet medical transport plane crashed Friday night in a Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood, law enforcement sources say three people reported missing after the crash have all been found safe.
Four people are still hospitalized, including 10-year-old Andre Howard III. His school said he is awake and talking and the school is coming together to help him and his family.
Positive news out of tragedy:
There was a boost in spirits at Soans Christian Academy Tuesday in Northeast Philadelphia with the news that their adored 10-year-old student, Andre "Trey" Howard III, is awake and talking.
Kristen Domico, Director of Soans, says she spoke with Andre’s mom on Tuesday morning.
"He wanted to know if he missed the Super Bowl. He was really concerned about that - how was his sister, and ‘did I miss the Super Bowl?’"
Andre and his three siblings have been a part of the school community over the past seven years, staff say. He was one of the first students to be taught by Tatiana Rodriguez.
"He’s getting better, I know for a fact that child is going to get out of that bed, out of the hospital and he’s going to come back to us," she says. "Knowing what he did for his sister, it’s just like, that is my Andre, that’s my hero."
The backstory:
Andre’s father picked him and his siblings up from Soans around 5:45 on Friday evening, the school says, to go get doughnuts at the Dunkin on Cottman Avenue, right as the Learjet medical transport plane crashed. His dad told FOX 29 that Andre dove onto his four-year-old sister to protect her from falling debris, and was struck in the head.
What you can do:
With a long road to recovery ahead at CHOP, Soans is now collecting donations, gift cards, and money for the family. If you want to help, you can contact the school at 267-388-7648 or drop off donations at their building, 7913 Dungan Road, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays.
"He’s such an amazing kid, he’s such a happy kid," says Rodriguez. "I know he’s strong, God is with him, and he’s a hero, he’s a hero, and he needs to tell the tale and tell his friends, ‘I saved my sister.’"
Andre is one of four victims still recovering at the hospital. Law enforcement sources tell FOX 29 there were three people reported missing, and all of them have been found safe.
So far, officials have said all six people on board the plane have died, and a man on the ground in a car.
At the crash scene:
Back at the scene on Cottman Avenue on Tuesday, crews were continuing to work to clean up the aftermath. Some business owners, escorted by police, got their first look at the damage.
Gregory Ott has owned Ott and Associates Insurance Group, and the building that houses a law firm at Cottman and Hanford, for 30 years.
"We’re just starting to get a grasp at what’s going on over there," he says.
Timeline:
Ott says two of the last employees at the insurance group left at 6:02 and 6:04 p.m. on Friday, minutes before the crash. At the law firm, he says employees left earlier in the day, though they usually stay until 7 o’clock.
"I just couldn’t believe how fortunate we are in that situation," he says.
Big picture view:
In the meantime, Dunphy Ford gave him office space to open for his customers, as he figures out next steps. Ott says he’s grateful for the outpouring of support from family and friends.
"Throughout this whole process, I was telling people I can replace bricks and mortar, I can’t replace people," says Ott. "I’m really again, so sad about what happened, it’s really such a tragedy."