Heroes Emerge From Medical Jet Crash Disaster in Northeast Philadelphia
A medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, brought suffering and sadness for the families of the six victims killed in the disaster. Three Philadelphians have been hailed as heroes for their quick actions on that tragic evening.
Caseem Wongus and a friend had been dining at Raising Cane’s on Cottman Avenue Friday night when a medical transport jet carrying a child patient crashed into a neighborhood after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The incident occurred only blocks away from where he was sitting.
He told CBS News Philadelphia that he wasn’t sure what had happened, but upon leaving the restaurant, he discovered the faint outline of a small person coming from the flames of the wreckage.
After identifying the individual as a young child, Wongus rushed toward the scene of the disaster and threw his jacket over the 9-year-old boy named Ramesses to beat out the flames. After flagging down a Philadelphia police officer, Wongus and the officer transported the child to St. Christopher’s hospital. Ramesses was then flown to a Boston hospital for treatment for burns covering 90% of his body.
In another story of heroism from that evening, 10-year-old Andre (Trey) Howard stepped up to save the life of his sister. Trey was in a car with his father and two siblings when he was struck in the head by a piece of debris from the jet while trying to shield his sister. He is currently recovering from emergency brain surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
A stranger, Michael Hitchner, was driving home with his family when he saw the jet explode overhead. He rushed to the Howard family’s car, taking the shirt off his back as he helped.
“I took my shirt off. I gave it to him and said, ‘Press this against his head. I’m going to go find an EMT or police officer,'” Hitchner told NBC10 News Philadelphia.
Trey’s family is trying to contact Hitchner to thank him for his heroism. Family members say they are hopeful Trey will get healthier thanks to the kind words from people like Hitchner.
“Dude, you did good,” Hitchner said. “You’re probably going to be the best human being on this planet.”
