Photo By Maj. Will Cox | Sgt. Ryan Leone, his daughter, his mother, Winder Mayor David Maynard, his father, and...... read more read more
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WINDER, Ga. May 3, 2014 – When someone’s life hangs in the balance, will you know what to do? Karen Christy is eternally grateful that Sgt. Ryan Leone of the Georgia Army National Guard did not freeze Memorial Day weekend 2013 at Lake Lanier when she was rendered unconscious as she attempted to exit the boat onto a marina’s dock.
“As we were pulling into a slip to tie off our vessel one of our passengers, Karen, stepped off the boat onto the dock when she lost her footing, slipped and hit face first onto the dock,” said Wes Usher. “She was immediately knocked unconscious and half of her torso was on the dock and the other half in the water.”
Leone was on the marina’s dock when he saw Christy fall and immediately ran to secure her body so that she did not slip further into the water. He held her until Usher and others were able to help pull her to safety back on the dock.
“When I came to after fainting, Ryan was over me holding my head still and asking me specific questions to check my awareness,” said Christy. “Ryan took the extra time and special care to clean my cut and bandage me. Then he turned his attention to my shoulder and made a compression sling with ice from a beach towel. He instructed me to keep ice on and off at intervals to avoid irritation to the skin on both my face and shoulder.”
“When I visited the doctor, they were also very complimentary of the work Leone did on my face to minimize the swelling and scarring,” said Christy. “In addition, the doctors concluded that I fractured by upper arm and that the care that I received at the dock that night was critical in my recovery because the swelling was minimal and the bones were held in place by the make-shift sling made from a beach towel.”
Almost a year after the rescue, Christy attended an award ceremony in Winder and pinned a Georgia Meritorious Service Medal on Sgt. Ryan Leone for his help. Also in attendance was Mayor David Maynard, along with Leone’s daughter, mother and father.
“I am eternally grateful for the care he gave to me that night and impressed that he selflessly sprang into action to help me in my time of need,” said Christy. “He is very well-trained, very good at what he does, and I am glad he was recognized for his abilities and willingness to help.”
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2014 14:29 |
| Story ID: | 129355 |
| Location: | WINDER, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 420 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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