A fourth-grade student in Macon, Georgia, is getting a lot of attention for staying cool under pressure when someone needed help.
Ja’kayla Hardy was recognized in front of a big crowd during the Rutland High School football game Thursday where she was given an award, WMAZ reported Friday.
“It’s called ‘caring,’ you helping people,” said Hardy, who is a Junior Fire Marshal at Bruce Elementary School.
Aaron Allen, the Junior Fire Marshal instructor, described her as outspoken and lovable.
Hardy’s skills were recently put to the test when she noticed a man who was unconscious laying underneath the bleachers during a football game. She immediately went into first responder mode and notified Coach Jamarcus Johnson about what she found.
Thanks to her skills, the man received prompt medical attention.
“That’s special to us because a 10-year-old girl helped save somebody’s life. We wanted to make sure that she knew that how good of a job and how much we appreciated her for that,” Johnson explained.
On Thursday evening, she received the Hurricane Hero award leaders give to young people who perform positive actions.
Hardy, who aspires to be a firefighter, offered advice to children who might face a similar situation, stating, “Go find an adult and then go back and make sure he’s OK before an adult gets there.”
“A home fire starts every 89 seconds, and children are often among the most vulnerable. We partner with fire departments and educators to provide resources and fire safety education to communities with the greatest need based on our home fire index,” the site read.
