Olivia Patterson may only be 6 years old but she didn’t let that stop her from being a superhero.
Not only did she save the day, but she also saved her family — from a devastating fire that ravaged their home and could have turned deadly.
6-Year-Old Runs Into Burning House
Six-year-old Olivia Patterson saved her mom and two younger siblings when their home went up in flames.
GoFundMe/laura-her-family-after-a-fire-destroyed-their-home
Olivia was playing outside in a neighbor’s backyard when she heard a popping and cracking sound and noticed smoke billowing from the roof of her home in North Yorkshire, England.
That’s when “her instinct to protect her family kicked in.”
Knowing her mom Laura and two younger siblings, Joel-James, 1, and Tiffany, 2 were napping inside, she immediately alerted her friend’s mom before rushing home, her friend’s mother in hot pursuit.
Despite the terrifying situation, Olivia, who has ADHD, didn’t hesitate. She ran straight into the burning house, screaming, “Fire! Fire! Wake up! Wake the babies!”
“At the time, flames were spreading across the roof of the property and the ceiling was collapsing. She knew we were having a nap inside the house and ran to wake us up and get us out.”
Laura Lee Patterson
It’s a good thing she did. No fire alarms had gone off and Laura and both children were sleeping on the couch when Olivia found them.
Olivia’s mother told Today, “I heard the panic in her voice. And as soon as I heard the panic, I smelled the burning.”
The family managed to escape out the front door unharmed.
“I was so confused as to what was happening,” Laura added.
“I was in such a daze from waking up. Just as I got to the front door, my neighbor who had been watching Olivia just made it to the door. So that’s how quickly it happened.”
Without the bravery and quick-thinking of her daughter, it could have been so much worse. Her 2-year-old daughter Tiffany has “a serious heart condition” and spent “the whole of 2022 in hospital on oxygen most of the time.”
Inhaling smoke could have proved fatal.
While the family and their two cats were unscathed, unfortunately, there was no stopping the fire and it tore through most of the house, destroying everything they owned.
According to fire officials, the fire started in the adjoining house, likely as a result of “smoking materials.” It spread quickly, only taking three minutes to reach the Pattersons, engulfing the roof and second floor in flames.
Six-Year-Old Girl is Awarded For Her Bravery
Not only has Olivia scored brownie points for life with her mom and dad and been voted “Best Big Sister EVER” by her siblings, but she also received the “Ultimate Hero Award” from YorkMix, a local radio station.
Additionally she was just nominated for a Pride of Britain award for her bravery.
Currently, the family is working on rebuilding their lives. They’re living in a rental as they wait for demolition and repairs to begin on their scorched home.
Unfortunately, the family did not have contents insurance and the insurance company for the house next door that started the fire will not support a claim for the Patterson’s. Laura’s colleagues have started a GoFundMe to raise money to help them get back on their feet.
So far, it’s raised nearly $9,000.
Olivia may only be six years old but this pint-sized hero proves that courage and heroism can be found in all of us, no matter our age. We just have to be brave enough to act when the moment calls for it.
