Salisbury boy saved 2-year-old sister from a fire
SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — New York City may hold claim to Spiderman, Gotham City the famed Batman, and Metropolis the one and only Superman, but the city of Salisbury is home to its own superhero: 11-year-old La'Prentis Doughty.
What started off just like any other day for La'Prentis, his 2-year-old sister, Loyalty, and mother, Keishauna Banks, ended in panic when the family's Salisbury apartment caught fire at about 6 p.m. Nov. 22.
"I was asleep and, when I woke up, I smelled something burning," La'Prentis recounted.
The boy spotted a fire in his mother's second-floor bedroom. At that time, Banks was out gathering groceries for Thanksgiving dinner and La'Prentis and his sister were being taken care of by family and friends. La'Prentis recalled hearing others scream for everyone to get out of Apartment 601.
Everyone ran outside into the ice-cold November air before La'Prentis realized his sister was still inside with the growing flames. By the time he hurried back inside, the fire had spread to the bathroom, he said.
"It was hot, very hot," La'Prentis said. "(Loyalty) was crying. I was listening and just bumped into her, then picked her up and took her downstairs."
The boy suffered minor burn injuries after rescuing his sister, the Maryland State Fire Marshal reported. Although he was burned making his second escape from the apartment in the 1300 block of Jersey Road, "his injuries were so minor they did not require on-scene medical attention," the fire marshal's report said.
"I feel like (Loyalty's) been traumatized because, now, she always wants to be right by my side," La'Prentis said.
When Banks was first notified of the fire, she was in utter disbelief. It wasn't until she heard screams over the phone that she realized her family was truly in danger. She threw her hazard lights on and raced home, running a red light and nearly getting into a head-on collision with another car — all in a panic-stricken effort to reach her children.
"The only thing on my mind was my kids," Banks said.
From panic to relief
As she pulled up to her apartment, she caught a glimpse of people huddled outside and smoke seeping out of the front door. Banks didn't think twice — she ran into her apartment to search for her children. She called La'Prentis and Loyalty's names but was unable to find them.
The smoke became too unbearable and she slowly made her way back outside. Fortunately, they were already safely outside and she found her children standing together.
Twenty-five Salisbury firefighters responded to the blaze at the eight-unit apartment building owned by GNI Properties, and the fire was brought under control in 10 minutes.
The fire was ruled accidental with the preliminary cause identified as an "unspecified electrical event at an outlet in the bedroom."
Losing all but what's most important
La'Prentis and his family lost their home and belongings; nearly everything except for the one thing they hold most dear: one another.
Banks could not be more proud of her son.
"It just makes me know that all of that hollering, taking his games, his phone, disciplining him — it didn't go to waste. He heard me," she said.
"I know the devil would want me to ease up on him while he's being praised right now, but I am teaching him to be humble, to be a leader and not a follower, and to help people," Banks said.
Following the fire, many community members have reached out to support the family by providing necessary, everyday items such as clothes, furniture, money, "everything that we need," La'Prentis said.
Aid pours in, along with tributes
Blair Carey of Berlin was determined to lend a helping hand.
"In the middle of the night, through the heat of the fire and pitch-black smoke, he rose to the occasion that most men would shy away from," Carey wrote in a Nov. 24 Facebook post. "Selfless love for another and incredible bravery. It is a rare trait to push forward when the mass is running away. La'Prentis is built different!"
Carey listed clothing and shoe sizes for each of the three family members and promoted a GoFundMe, imploring others to donate to the family.
Carey helped find Banks and her children a temporary apartment along with furnishings from That Furniture Store. La'Prentis was also invited to a Baltimore Ravens game, where he and Carey wore matching No. 8 jerseys in honor of the boy's favorite player, Lamar Jackson.
"He had never been to a football game," Banks said. "It was good for him. That just shows how much (Carey) has done."
La'Prentis has been hailed as a hero by the community, as well as countless local government organizations and officials, for the bravery he showed that fateful day. He has collected more than 10 awards for his heroic actions so far, he shared.
The sixth grader at Salisbury Middle School was given a special Golden Apple Award by the Wicomico County Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Micah Stauffer at a board meeting Nov. 13.
"This is handed out very seldom, but from time to time I do have the honor of presenting the Golden Apple Award for really extraordinary acts of achievement by someone in our school system or community," Stauffer said. "I am pleased to present La'Prentis with a Golden Apple Award in recognition of his extraordinary bravery in saving his little sister's life from a fire."
Additional recognition and awards recently bestowed upon La'Prentis have accrued from Salisbury Mayor Jake Day, the Salisbury Fire Department, Wicomico County Council, Maryland Governor's Office and more.
La'Prentis and his mother are overjoyed to have their family together for the holidays.
"Family means everything to me," he said.(© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
