10-year-old Philadelphia plane crash survivor rings bell before Sixers game

A 10-year-old boy who sustained severe injuries in last year’s medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia participated in a special moment before the Sixers game on Friday night.

Ramesses Vazquez‑Viana got the chance to ring the bell before the Sixers-Timberwolves game at the Wells Fargo Center.

As he rang the bell, the crowd cheered and applauded.

Back in January 2025, Ramesses, then 9, was in a car with his father, Steven Dreuitt, 37, and his father’s girlfriend, Dominique Goods-Burke, 34, when a medical jet slammed into Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottom Avenue.

All six people on the plane died and Ramesses was the only one in the car who survived. Dozens of others were left hurt with hundreds of homes and businesses damaged.

Ramesses remained in the hospital for many months after the crash. He suffered burns to 90% of his body as well as internal and external wounds.

Over a year after the tragic crash, Ramesses’ recovery and determination continues to inspire people across Philadelphia and beyond.