February 7, 2025
The Soans Christian Academy School is calling for donations for Andre III’s recovery.
Soans Christian Academy in Philadelphia is running a fundraiser to help the family of a 10-year-old boy who was injured while protecting his sister during a Jan. 31 plane crash.
Andre Howard III attends the Soans Christian Academy along with his siblings.
The fundraiser page on Facebook reads, “Soans family is standing together with the Howard family as they go through this difficult situation. We are declaring a call of unity in prayer and donation to support the Howard family.
“Donations should be brought to Soans as we will give directly to the family. Andre has a long road to recovery. Let’s help Andre through this journey as we rally up alongside him in support.”
The crash, according to WPVI, was the result of a medical jet from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport crashing into Andre III’s car. The plane had only two passengers—a mother and her daughter—as well as four on-flight crew members who were en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.
Andre III was traveling in a car with both siblings and his father near the mall when the plane went down.
“My son…tells his little sister, ‘Get down,’ And he grabs her, I hear the glass shatter,” Andre Howard Jr. said. “I turn around; there’s a piece of metal sticking out of my son’s head from the plane.”
After police arrived, the Howard family was rushed to the Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where Andre III immediately underwent surgery for his head injury.
“They told us my son wasn’t supposed to make it,” Howard Jr. said. “They also told us, ‘They don’t do children trauma.’ But they did for us, which was nothing but God.”
When Andre III woke up, his father said, he asked about his sister and the upcoming Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
“I was just trying to help my sister…next thing I know, I thought I died,’” Andre III said, according to his father.
“To face death yesterday and speaking today, stepping up for his little sister, like I train him and his other little brothers to do off of instinct,” Andre Jr. said.
The Howard family has set up a GoFundMe to assist in paying for Andre III’s medical and recovery expenses. As of Friday afternoon, more than $170,000 had been raised.
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