Haverhill mom risked her life to save baby, says she's not a 'hero'

HAVERHILL, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- We brought you the heroic story of that brave mom from Haverhill who jumped three stories from a burning building to save her little boy, and Friday she gave her first local on camera interview to FOX 25.

Christina Simoes’ story has captured the nation's hearts, anyone who saw what this mother did for her little boy knew instantly that she would do anything for her son.

She's only 24 and has a whole lifetime ahead of her, but she risked it all and would do it again in a heartbeat.

“His life is way, way, way, way, way more precious than mine,” Simoes said.

Simoes laid down her life for her 18-month-old Cameron, using her body to protect his. When asked if she felt like a hero, Simoes said no.

“I would do anything for him,” she said.

A FOX 25 News crew was invited inside Simoes’ room at Whittier Rehab Hospital where she spent the past week confined to a bed. At first, doctors said she may never walk again, but Simoes is an optimist.

“Physical therapy's going extremely well. I'm able to move both of my legs, still don't have a lot of feeling in my right foot but the doctors are saying it's looking really, really positive,” she said.

Simoes broke her back last Wednesday after a fire engulfed her Haverhill apartment building. It started just two floors below hers. She was watching television with her son when she noticed smoke, then flames on her balcony.

“I grabbed Cameron and I ran to the front door and when I opened the front door the whole stairwell was completely engulfed in flames already,” she explained.

That's when she says it hit her, that they were trapped, and they didn't have time to wait for the fire department.

“So I climbed up into the window and I hung my legs out the window and I picked him up and I squeezed him as hard as I can and I kissed him and told him that I loved him and then I jumped out the window,” she said.

When asked what was going through her mind, Simoes said, “It really felt like I was falling in slow motion. Like it felt like a very, very, very long fall.”

She landed on her feet, but the impact of falling 35 feet instantly broke her back. She fell to the ground, paralyzed and continued to try to get away crawling on her elbows.

But Cameron only suffered a little bump and she tried to coax him into running ahead of her.

“And I just kept pushing him telling him to run, to run, to run,” she said.

Eventually, a police lieutenant who Simoes calls "her savior" found the pair and got them to safety.

Now Simoes has two goals: to walk again, but first and foremost to hold Cameron, in her arms standing up, once again.

“I know that even if it takes a year, you know, I’m going to be able to hold him and pick him up and do all my mommy duties,” she said.

And she is already showing progress. Yesterday she sat up for the first time since she was hurt. And she works with a physical therapist twice a day.

Her friends are raising money to help cover some of her medical expenses and get her a new place to live. However, some individuals actually set up fake fundraising websites in her name, hoping to profit off her tragedy.

If you would like to donate to the correct fund, click here.

Cox Media Group