The family of the brave little Brooklyn girl who was fatally struck by an out-of-control SUV after miraculously herding six other kids out of its path remembered her today as a selfless hero who was always helping others.
“She was a hero,” said a distraught Tanisha Harewood, 14, about her younger sister Kirra Goddard, 13. “She always looked out after us. If something ever happened to one of us she always came to help us. She cared about everyone in this building.”
Tanisha said the sharp-eyed Kirra spotted the SUV driving wildly toward the stoop where she was sitting with the other children, including her younger sister.
“The car was driving down the block and it hit that car up there, and then he backed up. She saw it and told everyone to run. She said ‘Run, run, run!’ ”
The other kids ran inside, but Kirra was sitting down and could not get up quick enough as the SUV bore down on her in reverse.
“She had her hand up and was saying: ‘Stop, stop, stop!’ Harewood said.
Kirra’s heartbroken dad, Wesley Bishop, said his selfless daughter didn’t have time to get away.
“When she stood up it was too late. She’s definitely a hero, she told all those kids to get inside,” he said, describing Kirra as “loving and nice, very kind to people.”
Joyce Lovelady, Kirra’s devastated mom, was still in shock.
“I cannot cry, I have no tears, it’s very painful,” she said. “She told them to run but she did not have the chance to run.”
The horrifying tragedy — which also left the SUV driver dead — began about 10:15 p.m. as Kirra was sitting in front of her home on Pacific Street in Brownsville with her sister and friends when she saw a Range Rover coming from Saratoga Avenue.
Cops said the driver had been stabbed and was going for help when he slammed into one car and then drove in reverse straight at Kirra.