Brave 10-year-old Brianna Vance has been hailed a hero after posting a plea for help when her dad was crushed by a tree. Gregory Vance was left injured and unable to move when the massive trunk came crashing down during a storm at his home in West Virginia, US.
With the storm knocking out mobile phone signals, quick-thinking Brianna posted a video of herself on her Facebook page begging for help, saying: "The lightning crashed and hit a tree by our porch and my dad's almost dead. He needs an ambulance please."
Soon later, emergency crews arrived to the scene and rushed Gregory to hospital where he was treated for head, neck and back injuries. Two of his friends – who were also trapped under the tree – were also treated in hospital.
Tim Granger, from the local fire department, praised Brianna for her bravery, saying: "This is the real hero. That little girl."
Meanwhile Gregory, who was released from hospital last week, left an emotional message for his daughter: "If Brianna had been there a little longer, it would have hit her. The pain of burying one of my children – I could not bear that, but I can handle this pain. I knew my children loved me but it's the love they've shown lately. I mean it's unconditional. It's real."
Photo: ABC News