A five-year-old boy from Warren, Michigan has been credited with the lifesaving act of alerting his family to a house fire, ensuring their escape from what could have been a fatal tragedy. As reported by FOX 2, Juwan Perry Jr. woke his mother, Britteny Lee, on the morning of April 5, leading to the safe evacuation of herself and her seven other children from their burning apartment. Lee confirmed that her son was not only the early warning that day, but also actively assisted in getting his siblings to the family car.
The child hero also helped to alert and evacuate the neighboring resident who shared a wall with their apartment. No injuries were reported, although the fire claimed all of the family's possessions. A statement obtained by WWJ Newsradio reveals two GoFundMe pages have since been set up to aid Lee and her family, as well as their neighbor, Taryan Morris, in the aftermath of the blaze.
In an interview with WXYZ, Lee recounted the harrowing incident, stating, "If it wasn’t for Juwan, we probably all would be dead." She lamented the loss of all their belongings and vowed to never again use a space heater, suspecting it as the cause of the fire. The Warren Fire Department is currently investigating but does not suspect foul play.
When asked what drove him to act courageously in spite of the danger, Juwan simply said, "Because I love everybody." His mother echoed this sentiment, proclaiming him her hero. The GoFundMe campaigns established to support the family and neighbor provide a way for the community to help them to begin rebuild their lives.
