Etchison Family Speaks About Death Of 3 Yr Old Darrel Jr
By: John Clay
Updated: November 23, 2012
One week ago, 3-yr old Darrel Etchison Jr. was killed in a fire at his home in Altoona. His mother and sister barely escaped the flames. Police charged Aaron Dishong for setting that fire. They say he was trying to kill an ex-girlfriend that he thought was staying there. Thursday, Darrel's mother Brandy Etchison was released from the hospital.
Recalling the morning of the fire, she says, "I smelled the flames, so i grabbed the kids. DJ stopped, he wouldn't come with me. I was gonna run down the steps, the flames were shooting up the bedroom, so the only way out was through the window."
That was the last time Brandy Etchison saw her son. She jumped out of a window as her house was burning, unable to save her son. She jumped with 2-year-old Madison on her chest. When she landed, she broke her back, but saved her daughter.
Brandy was taken to a hospital in Pittsburgh, and was in a coma for 5 days. When she woke up, she found out her son had died in the fire.
Remembering "DJ" she says, "he was perfect, he was so lovable, he was like my best friend, he's the love of my life. He had so many friends at school. The schools loved him. He's an amazing child."
2-year old Madison and Brandy are back in Altoona, but it's only part of the family that was, without a home, on Thanksgiving.
