Staten Island toddler injured in house fire released from hospital just in time for his 3rd birthday
NEW YORK — A Staten Island toddler who was rescued from a house fire two weeks ago is now out of the hospital, just in time for his birthday.
The fire happened on Jan. 17 at a home on Ada Drive.
2-year-old rescued from Ada Drive house fire
Two-year-old Ian Pereles was in the basement when the fire started on the first floor of the home. His dad, Isaiah Pereles, was also home at the time.
"At an instant, it was just smoke, alarm and flames. And the first thing I could remember is, 'My baby,'" he said.
FDNY Capt. Anthony Harper rescued the 2-year-old, passing him out a basement window to another firefighter outside the building. He was given immediate smoke inhalation treatment and rushed to Staten Island University North Hospital in critical condition.
"He was very critical with carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation," said Dr. Pamel Feuer, the hospital's director of pediatric critical care medicine. "He spent a number of days in the burn ICU, where he had soot in his airway and his lungs, he had swelling of his airways."
"I just didn't know what I was going to walk into once I got here in the hospital," mom Julissa Torres said.
"My boy gets to walk out smiling and living life again"
Saturday, Ian was all smiles as first responders, including Harper, clapped him out of the hospital.
"This is the outcome of the community and everyone coming together, is that my boy gets to walk out smiling and living life again," Isaiah Pereles said.
Ian still has some redness from burns on his face, as well as a bandage on his right hand that's expected to be removed in a few weeks. While he did suffer what's considered a full thickness burn, it's not impacting the function of his hand.
"I'm proud. So many people were involved in this. I'm just grateful," Harper said.
Ian's family is now transitioning from a hotel to rental for now, as their home is considered unlivable.
"We have our baby boy, so it's OK. Other things are replaceable and he isn't," Torres said.
His parents say they plan to spoil him on his 3rd birthday on Monday.
