Girl reunites with man who saved her from deadly Dallas apartment explosion

Nearly a week after a deadly explosion at the Clyde Apartments in Dallas' Oak Cliff neighborhood, a 10‑year‑old girl who survived the blast has reunited with the man credited with saving her life.

Vanessa, who lost her mother, Marisol Perez, and her 18‑month‑old brother in the explosion, met with Rodney Brown on Monday. 

The encounter was emotional as family members thanked Brown for pulling the child from the burning building.

Rescuer describes instinctive response

Brown said he acted on instinct when he saw the girl moments after hearing the first explosion from his nearby building. As he carried her across the street, a second blast erupted, and flames quickly spread through the structure.

He attempted to return to help others trapped inside, but said the fire had already intensified.

"I heard them inside asking for help. I can never forget that," Brown said. "If I had enough time to go back, I would have dug my way in."

Family mourns loss while celebrating survival

Family members described the past week as a nightmare as they continue to grieve the loss of Perez and her young son. Vanessa's birthday fell on Monday, and relatives said Brown's actions enabled her to reach the age of 10.

"You made it possible for her to be ten years old today," her aunt said. "It would have been an even bigger tragedy not to have any memory of my sister."

Rescuer rejects hero label

Brown rejected the label of hero, saying he was simply grateful the girl survived.

"I don't consider myself a hero," he said. "I'm just happy she's alive and with her family."