Fairmount fire survivor lands full ride to Penn State University
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In January of 2022, a catastrophe rocked Philadelphia after a deadly fire in the city's Fairmount section.
A dozen people were killed and many others were hurt.
But now one survivor is turning tragedy into triumph.
RELATED: Attorney files lawsuit against PHA for fatal Fairmount fire
As Charles Scott playfully tosses a football around with his son, Zykee, at the Lonnie Young Rec Center in Philadelphia's West Oak Lane section, his father is also throwing him life advice.
"His ultimate goal, what he want to be in life is to make it to the NFL, so he got to work extremely hard to get there," Charles Scott said.
Zykee Scott,14, is a 6-foot-1 linebacker.
"I train my strength, my speed and my position work so I could get better with that," Zykee Scott said.
And his speed might have been his lifesaver during the deadly Fairmount rowhouse fire back in January of 2022. The fire was one of the deadliest in the city's history.
The fast-moving flames engulfed the rowhome, killing 12 people, including nine children.
Zykee Scott said he feels "very lucky" to be alive.
The Scott family was sleeping in their first-floor apartment when it turned into an inferno.
Zykee Scott was burned by fallen debris but he and his family, including his three siblings made it outside alive.
"We've been good because we had each other. We were able to stay together," Charles Scott said.
RELATED: Fairmount fire: New headstone honoring victims unveiled
On Thursday, the home is still boarded up and vacant. Its bricks are still covered with soot.
On the ground are 12 candles, and each one has the name of one of the victims. All of it is a daily reminder to those who live in the neighborhood of that tragic day.
"It was very difficult for me and my family," Zykee Scott said.
Since then, Zykee Scott doesn't take anything in life for granted with the motivation of his parents.
"They pushed me to work harder and do more work to be where I want to be," he said.
The recent graduate of Bache-Martin School in Fairmount has made the honor roll the last two years. And his focus on football is being noticed too. A coach recently connected him with a Penn State University coach.
The incoming high school freshman was just offered a full ride to Penn State university.
"I was like real happy and all the hard work I've been doing is paying off," Zykee Scott said.
"I'm real proud of him because he worked hard and didn't let adversity stop him," Charles Scott said.
