Jayden Espinosa
Chicago, IL — Jayden Espinosa, a 5-year old boy from Chicago, is being hailed a hero after he saved 13 people from an early-morning fire in his aunt’s apartment where he had been sleeping over. At such a young age, he quickly knew what to do during that emergency situation.
Around 4 a.m. on Saturday, the fire reportedly broke out in the residence but the smoke detectors malfunctioned. Jayden, who happened to have woken up early while everyone else in the house was still sleeping, smelled smoke.
“I smelled the smoke and I got up and went outside,” Jayden told Fox 32 Chicago about the incident. “Auntie’s house was burning… I was scared!”
Despite being scared, the little boy ran to wake up and alert the rest of his family. He also alerted his aunt’s neighbors who live on the lower floor of the duplex.
When asked how he knew what to do at that time, he said, “Because I’m smart and brilliant.”
Firefighters said 7 adults and 6 children, including Jayden, got out safely. But the fire destroyed all of the family’s belongings.
Meanwhile, the American Red Cross has stepped in to support Jayden’s aunt and cousins. A GoFundMe has also been set up to help them “get back on their feet.” It has so far raised half of the $1,000 goal.