La’Prentis Doughty, eleven, was just a typical child looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with his family. However, on November 22, 2022, La’Prentis unexpectedly became a hero.

Around 6 p.m., a fire broke out in their two-story apartment complex in Salisbury, Maryland.

When La’Prentis saw what was going on, he dashed out of the building for his own safety. But it wasn’t until he got outside that he realized his two-year-old sister Loyalty was still inside.

With little regard for his own safety, La’Prentis dashed back inside and up to the second story to save Loyalty. «If I didn’t save my sister, I would be mad at myself because I could’ve saved her simply. «I could have saved her, and I’d risk my life for my sister,» stated the brave big brother.

Fortunately, the brave eleven-year-old just suffered minor burns on his arm, which did not necessitate medical attention at the spot. However, the fire damaged two of the eight residential units. There were no serious injuries or casualties as a result of La’Prentis’ bravery and swift action.

Keishauna Banks, their mother, was doing some last-minute Thanksgiving shopping when she received a call from her best friend informing her that their house was on fire. Keishauna is still in shock and trying to make sense of what happened.

But she’s grateful that her children are «alive and breathing,» and that La’Prentis was present when the fire started. He performed an excellent job of taking his sister to safety. No one was harmed as a result of his foresight and bravery.

Salisbury Mayor Jake Day took the opportunity to praise the amazing eleven-year-old, saying that he’s constantly seeking for unselfish people willing to lead and that he found one in La’Prentis Doughty.

Despite the devastation of the fire, La’Prentis is relieved that everyone is safe. He even said that day that he was still looking forward to Thanksgiving.

According to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the fire was started by an ignited outlet in one of the bedrooms. Firefighters arrived promptly and declared the fire out in less than 10 minutes.

However, two residential units are uninhabitable as a result of the incident. The anticipated cost of structural damage is $250,000, with an additional $40,000 for personal property loss.

La’Prentis’ family is sleeping in a motel thanks to the American Red Cross. It’s a tragic loss, and they require clothing and shelter.

To assist the family in getting back on their feet, a GoFundMe account has been established. At the time of writing, the family had already raised $14,390 of the $25,000 target.

Every year, around 51,000 household electrical fires occur, resulting in nearly 500 deaths, over 1,400 injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damage, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).

As a result, the ESFI urges everyone to inspect their electrical systems and outlets for buzzing or sizzling sounds, dim or flickering lights, or tripped circuit breakers.

Install smoke detectors in each room and floor. More importantly, have an emergency evacuation plan in place and ensure that all family members are familiar with it.

But, no matter how cautious we are around the house, an accident might still occur and a fire can start. Ordinary individuals can so become heroes. Like this young man who rescued his eight-year-old niece and this brave mother who received terrible burns while rescuing her four children.

In the video below, you can see the entire tale of La’Prentis Doughty’s bravery: