Open menu

"Mama, hot. Mama, hot," he said. Those two words saved the lives of all 7 people in the house, who were affected by COVID-19.

Help Aleteia continue its mission by making a tax-deductible donation. In this way, Aleteia's future will be yours as well.

Donate with just 3 clicks

*Your donation is tax deductible!

Many people are struggling with the aftereffects of the coronavirus. Kayla and Nathan Dahl are parents from Alvord, Texas, who are among the many people who have lost their sense of taste and smell due to COVID-19.

On the morning of January 15, 2022, around 4:30 a.m., 2-year-old Brandon, the youngest of the family's 5 children, approached his parents' bed.

They were sound asleep, and he began to tug on his mom Kayla's foot, saying only two words, among the few that a little two-year-old manages to utter. "Mama, hot. Mama, hot," Kayla Dahl told Good Morning America.

Those two words, however, would save the lives of the entire family, which at that moment was in grave danger.

Kayla thought her little boy was hot and wanted her to get him out of his pajamas. However, when she looked toward her bedroom door leading to the living room, she saw that everything was engulfed in flames.

Despite being new, none of the smoke detectors in their home went off until the family was already out of the house, and Kayla and Nathan hadn’t noticed the smoke filling their home.

Fortunately, Nathan Dahl is a volunteer with the local fire department, so he was prepared for this type of emergency. He told local channel WFAA, "We've had a plan. This is how everything's going to go."

They immediately ran to save their other 4 children, and the whole family escaped the fire unharmed, although unfortunately they lost their house and all of their belongings.

“Everything is gone. We lost my car. Everything inside the house,” Kayla told Good Morning America. However, they were left with the most precious thing—their lives—thanks to little Brandon.

Loading
View on Instagram

"Brandon saved us. He was wrapped in God's arms to help protect him and to make sure that our entire family was able to get out," Kayla told the ABC news show. “He saved our entire family. He’s our little mini hero,” she said to WFAA. “Brandon definitely had a guardian angel help him get out of that living room," she added. "It's honestly nothing short of a miracle. An absolute miracle." Her husband echoed the sentiment.

The family are slowly getting back on their feet with the help of neighbors, friends, and family. Many strangers are pitching in because the news has gone viral, thanks to the amazing bravery of their little two-year-old boy.

Although, as his mother Kayla says, he still does not understand the impact of what he did, for the moment he’s enjoying a lot of attention from whoever meets him at the supermarket or gas station. He gets a lot of pats on the back, handshakes, and the words: "You're a hero."

For a full account of the event, you can watch this video from WFAA channel 8:

“Thank God I saved him”: Malian immigrant climbs Paris building to rescue toddler

11-year-old hero rescues his four siblings from house fire

2-year-old boy saves his family from fire they couldn’t smell