A 5-year-old Michigan boy is being hailed a hero after alerting his mother to a house fire and helping save his siblings’ lives. Juwan Perry Jr. woke up around 4:40 a.m. to smoke and immediately started yelling for his mother, an act she said saved the family from a deadly catastrophe.

Mom Brittney Lee told WXYZ-TV, becoming tearful as she recounted what unfolded, “If it wasn’t for Juwan, we probably all would be dead. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be here. He is my hero. Always.” The small child’s call for Lee sent her jumping out of bed. Then, she discovered the unthinkable. She told the outlet, “I instantly jumped up and ran. By the time I made it to their room, everything was on fire.”

She immediately started gathering her seven children to get them out of the home and to safety. Unfortunately, the home was lost, but everyone walked away safe and unscathed. Lee said, “We lost everything.” Still, she’s grateful for her family’s safety. “Thank God that we all made it out safely and nobody got hurt,” Lee said. As for Juwan, he told WXYZ-TV his motivation for helping save his family despite the fear. “Because I love everybody,” he said.

As it turns out, Juwan is also called a hero by those outside his family. Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams told the Detroit Free Press the boy’s actions were truly brave and beyond what one would expect from a 5-year-old. “This would have been a tragedy, with everybody sleeping,” McAdams said. A GoFundMe set up by Lee has raised more than $11,000 of her $45,000 goal.

“Unfortunately, my family was left with nothing but the clothes on our backs, no shoes on our feet,” Lee wrote in the description. “All I’m asking is for just a little help. It will go a long way.” Continue to pray for the family as they pick up the pieces of their lives.