A family in Vicksburg is calling their 5-year-old son, Ranajai Hill, a true hero. His quick and brave actions saved their lives from a devastating house fire. The fire completely ruined their home just two days after Thanksgiving, which made the loss extra hard for the family.
Ranajai Hill is usually a shy young boy. He often hides behind his long hair and speaks very softly when talking to new people. But when their lives were in great danger, he showed amazing courage and clear thinking. His actions went beyond his quiet nature and meant the difference between life and death for his loved ones.
The near-disaster happened early Saturday morning. While the rest of his family was fast asleep, Ranajai was sitting on the living room couch, quietly watching TV.
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During this time, he felt a strange and very strong heat. He quickly saw that the warmth was coming from flames that were getting very close.
“He said he just saw the fire come up, and he went and got his grandmother,” Jennifer Smith, his Gigi told WAPT.
His grandma, little sister, and two uncles were inside the house with Ranajai at the time. The place went up in flames fast, but because of the young boy’s immediate and crucial warning, all five managed to get out of the burning building just in time. They literally got out with nothing but the clothes on their backs, thankfully avoiding any serious injury or worse.
The Vicksburg Fire Department checked out what caused the destructive fire. Firefighters discovered that it started with a gas space heater. Because the damage was so bad, the department officially said the home was a total loss, meaning the house and most everything in it was completely destroyed.
“To me, it was very devastating losing everything that you have, that you’ve worked hard for,” Smith said.
But through the devastation and the shocking loss of their possessions, Smith says she’s overwhelmingly grateful, focusing not on what they lost but on the precious lives that were saved.
Her deepest gratitude is especially directed toward the 5-year-old, the true hero of that morning, particularly when she considers how tragically and differently the morning could have ended had he not acted so swiftly and bravely.
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“I’m so proud of him,” she said. “Without him being the brave hero he was, it could have been worse. I don’t even want to explain.”
Ranajai, even though he’s young and a bit quiet, has this incredible, deep well of compassion that really makes him stand out. His beloved Gigi (grandmother) says this innate empathy is his most important quality—it’s what kicked in and allowed him to save his whole family from that awful house fire.
Sadly, the fire destroyed their home, leaving the family with the daunting task of starting completely from scratch.
After this harrowing event, Ranajai’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help them with the immediate aftermath and the long haul of recovery. The money raised will be vital for replacing everyday essentials like clothes, toiletries, and other household items that were lost.
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