Local News - July 2002

12-year-old honored for rescue

By ANDIE LEATHERMAN, LTN Staff Writer

July 3, 2002 - Two weeks ago, 12-year-old Stanton Shirley saved his friend Jessica Williams, 12, from drowning in Lake Norman. Tuesday, Lincoln County Emergency Medical Services honored him with a tour of the MedCenter Air helicopter that flew Jessica to Carolinas Medical Center following the near June 20 drowning.

The chopper landed late Tuesday afternoon in the field beside East Lincoln Fire Department, the same spot it touched down two weeks ago to take Jessica to CMC.

 Flight nurses Angie Davenport and Mike Gearing and pilot Allen Cantrell showed Stanton the medical helicopter’s equipment and let him try on the helmets the crew uses.

Monday night the youngster was also honored at the beginning of the Lincoln County Commissioners meeting.

EMS director Ron Rombs and county Fire Marshal Mike Futrell presented the young hero with a plaque from the Lincoln County Safe Kids Coalition.

“Had Stanton not taken action without hesitation, Jessica probably wouldn’t be with us today,” Rombs said.

Jessica and her family were visiting Stanton and his grandmother Dot Shirley when the two youngsters went into the water to retrieve a yard chair.

When Jessica began to struggle, Stanton lifted her to the surface. Her mother Becky Williams and Dot Shirley began CPR. Minutes later, East Lincoln Fire Department personnel arrived and used an automatic external defibrillator to restart Jessica’s heart. A paramedic from Lincoln County EMS then arrived and started advanced life support. She was taken by ambulance to the fire department and airlifted from there.

Jessica was released from CMC earlier this week.

Both Stanton and Jessica are rising eighth-graders at East Lincoln Middle School.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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