A Michigan father is a real-life hero after rushing into a burning home to save his twin 18-month-old daughters.
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Ray Lucas and his girlfriend Shi’Ann left the girls with his mother and niece and had only been away from their Eastpointe home for about 15 minutes. When the couple returned, they found the house in flames.
“I just knew I had to get my babies out,” Lucas tells Detroit’s WJBK-TV. “That’s what went through my mind.”
He says smoke in the house was so thick he could barely see the hand in front of his face. Lucas was able to find the girls in the basement mainly by the memory of knowing where they were.
Monday, August 2, 2021
Michigan Dad Rushed into Burning Home to Save His 18-Month Old Twin Daughters
Ray Lucas, father who saved twin babies from burning home
Nationwide — Ray Lucas, a 23-year old father from Eastpointe, Michigan, is being hailed a hero after he ran into a burning house to rescue his twin babies.
Lucas and his girlfriend Shi’Ann Brown had just returned home from a nearby store to buy milk when they were shocked to see that their home was on fire.
His mother, who had been watching the 18-month old babies, was in shock and panicking outside the door. But the babies, Malaysia and Milan, were still inside the burning building.
“I was speechless. Action took over me. I ran into the house to get my babies,” Lucas told CNN. “I’m looking at it as a father. I did anything that any other father would do or should do.”
Even though Lucas said he couldn’t see anything aside from flame and smoke inside the house, he managed to get to his daughters by going through the same route to the basement where they were. He was then able to carry them outside to safety.
Lucas also saved his niece as he caught her in his hands when she had to jump through the second-story window of the burning building.
Lucas and his daughters had to spend 5 days in the intensive care unit after suffering from severe burns and smoke inhalation. Lucas had second- and third-degree burns to his face, eyes, neck, arms and he became blind for 3 days.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with their expensive medical bills and ultimately rebuild their lives since they lost their home. The fundraiser initially aimed to raise just $40,000 but has so far garnered over $450,000.
The girls were taken to a local hospital where both spent time in intensive care. Milan was treated for smoke inhalation and second-degree burns but her twin sister Malaysia suffered severe burns. Both girls are out of the hospital now.
Lucas also suffered injuries in the blaze.
“I was temporarily blind for three days and they said it was a miracle I could see,” he said. “I’ve got burns on my arms, but for the most part, everyone is still here.”
Because of his injuries, Lucas is temporarily unable to work. At the time of this writing, a GoFundMe which has been set up to help the family has reached 10 times its original goal of $40,000.
You can see more of the family’s story in the video below from WJBK-TV in Detroit.
When he pulled up to the home, Lucas recalled a frantic scene in which his mother, who was watching the girls, was pleading for anyone to help retrieve the twins. The fire had quickly spread through the home, including the basement, where Milan and Malaysia were sleeping.
Lucas ran into the home and quickly realized the smoke prevented him from seeing much in front of him. He told local media his knowledge of the layout of the home guided him through the fire and toward his girls.
“I really only found my babies due to my memory, just knowing where they were and knowing how to get to them — just from having that same route,” he said.
By the time the father made it to the crib, he found the girls awake and responsive but in shock from what was going on around them, Lucas told CNN.
“I was so happy they were responsive,” he said.