Parents praise 6-year-old son for sacrificing himself to save brother during fatal fire – NBC4 Washington

A 6-year-old boy who died of smoke inhalation days after a house fire earlier this month in Virginia could have escaped but chose to protect his 3-year-old brother, their father told News4.

Zachariah, 3, and William Brice, 6, became trapped when smoke filled their Clifton home on April 10.

“He’s smart enough to have left home, he knew what was going on,” James Brice said of William. “And I think he saw his brother in danger – trapped – and he went in and protected him.”

First responders told James and Reina Brice that they found William shielding Zachariah and protecting him from danger.

“We’re grieving, but at the same time it’s like my six-year-old made the most manly choice, and at the same time he’s a proud father,” James Brice said.

William was wearing a Captain America T-shirt when first responders found him. In a sweet video of Zachariah waiting for his brother to get off the school bus, William also wears a Captain America T-shirt as the brothers hug.

The family calls the boys heroes because they may have saved as many as nine lives with their donated organs.

First responders performed CPR on Zachariah and William in the front yard for 45 minutes, allowing the family to stay with the boys for a few more days.

“That was the miracle, we didn’t lose them on Wednesday and we had those extra days to get the same amount of time,” James Brice said.

James and Reina Brice say they have always been devout Christians.

“We used to go to church and pray and do all kinds of things, but not really with any enthusiasm,” James Brice said.

Now they believe they have a new purpose: to share their story to help others find light through the darkness.

“Because we believe that they are in heaven and that we will see them again, it is possible to share that hope,” said Reina Brice.

The family will host a celebration and prayer service for the boys at Word of Life Church in Springfield on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. for anyone who would like to celebrate William and Zachariah.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says the cause of the fire remains under investigation.