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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, (Oct. 15, 2021) -- A Brooke Army Medical Center nurse jumped into action Oct. 7, rescuing a toddler after a car careened into the child’s home.
Sharon Acker, a trauma nurse in the emergency department at BAMC, was on her way home from work a little after 11 p.m. She was just a few blocks from home when she happened upon the scene.
“The car had crashed into my neighbor’s house and it appeared as though it had just happened,” she said. “There was nobody outside, so I got out to check to see if there was anyone in the car.”
The car was abandoned, so she called 911 and knocked on the door of the house to make sure everyone was safe. Nobody answered the door, so she went back to the window where the car had crashed into the house.
“I heard a child’s voice,” Acker said.
The 911 dispatcher advised her not to enter the home because the structure might not be safe. The San Antonio police arrived on the scene a few minutes later. As they surveyed the situation, Acker made the decision to crawl through the window and check on the girl.
“The intrusion from the car had pushed brick and glass onto her bed,” she explained. “I picked her up and then the (officer) came through a moment after me. The bed had been pushed up against the door, and she wouldn’t have been able to get out.”
Together they were able to safely get the child out of the house. The officer went to find the homeowners, and Acker stayed with the little girl until an ambulance arrived at the scene.
“She had blood on her face and I assessed her for injuries while waiting on an ambulance.” Acker said. “I stayed with her in the ambulance until her dad came to her side.”
The girl’s father had fallen asleep with headphones on and he never heard the crash.
“This is just one example of the caring and compassion our nurses show every day,” said Army Col. Daniel Thompson, BAMC chief nursing officer. “We are proud of Mrs. Acker’s quick thinking and willingness to jump in and help this little girl.”
Acker admits that emergency personnel may be a little calmer under pressure, but she doesn’t consider herself a hero.
“I would hope that anybody who pulled up on that scene would have stopped to help,” she said. “I can’t imagine not doing that. I believe any of the nurses I work with would have done the same.”
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2021 10:06 |
| Story ID: | 407310 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 590 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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