Over the weekend, a group of five University of Georgia students were hailed as heroes after they sprang into action to save a family from a harrowing car accident.
Eleanor Cart, Kaitlyn Iannace, Clarke Jones, Jane McArdle, and Molly McCollum, all members of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, were on their way to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day festivities when they witnessed a disturbing scene.
As they approached the Brier Creek bridge in Burke County, the women noticed a dust cloud and a flash of white light. Upon further investigation, they discovered a white minivan submerged in the water below. McCollum, who spoke with Fox 5 Atlanta about the incident, said that she was initially in shock, but knew she had to do something to help.
Without hesitation, the women jumped out of their car and ran towards the vehicle. Two of them got into the water to rescue the victims, while the others gathered supplies and called for emergency assistance. Among the passengers in the car were a mother and her two children, one of whom was just 4 years old.
According to McCollum, the young boy had been underwater for about four to five minutes before being pulled out by the women. One of the students, who happened to be a trained lifeguard, immediately began performing CPR on the child. In just a minute, the boy began responding to the life-saving measures, much to the relief and surprise of everyone involved.
Authorities from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office reported that all three passengers were safely removed from the vehicle and taken to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, they were released the next day with no serious injuries. McCollum expressed how grateful she and her friends were to have been able to provide aid to the family in need.
The students were recently honored with a lifesaving heroism proclamation from the University of Georgia, and they will also be recognized at this year’s Kappa Alpha Theta Grand Convention for their bravery and quick thinking. President of the university, Jere W. Morehead, commended the students for their courage and team effort in a press release.
The Sardis Police Department also took to Facebook to praise the five young women for their heroic actions. In a post, they stated that the students “saw the accident happen and without hesitation entered the water” to assist the occupants of the sinking vehicle. The department expressed their gratitude and admiration for the students, saying they were true heroes.
The women’s actions have not gone unnoticed by the community, and they have received an outpouring of support and praise. However, the students themselves remain humble and believe that they were simply in the right place at the right time to help others in need. McCollum reflected on the incident, stating that it was a unique catastrophe, but that there are people struggling all around us every day and we should always be ready to uplift one another.
The Sardis Police Department also took the opportunity to thank other local emergency service groups for their assistance in the rescue efforts. They ended their post by asking for continued prayers for the family involved in the accident. The selflessness and bravery displayed by these five first-year students serve as an inspiration to all and a reminder that acts of heroism can happen anywhere, at any time. As the department aptly stated, these students are true heroes.
