Local girl, 12, helped save her father’s life
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Within the confines of Salem Grade School, Katelyn Hannah is an honor student who mentors younger children, and enjoys activities like most 12-year-old girls.
But on a fateful day in November, Hannah was hailed a hero, saving the life of her father who suffered a household accident.
To recognize her efforts, the Girl Scout Cadette received The Girl Scouts of the USA Lifesaving Medal of Honor Award. The award ceremony was held at East Troy’s Camp Pottawatomie Hills on Aug. 9.
The award is a rare occurrence, according to Chief Executive Officer Christy Brown of Girl Scouts Wisconsin Southeast, who delivered the presentation before hundreds of girl scouts and Hannah’s family members.
“This year, only 22 Girl Scouts had received this award, so it is a very prestigious award,” said Brown, adding there are more than 2 million scouts nationwide.
“It is earned by a member who has saved or have attempted to save someone’s life and they have done this in a way that is beyond their training, or beyond their age,” Brown stated.
Katelyn’s award stemmed from an accident last November, when she and her family were cleaning their garage, and upon completion of the project, her father went to the attic to determine the cause of a roof leak while she went to the living room.
In the living room, Katelyn heard a loud crash coming from the porch, immediately went to the area and discovered her father fell through the attic and landed on a concrete floor.
This is why it is important to leave such jobs to the experts. If you are concerned that your roof is leaking, contact a team like Bordner Home Improvement rather than investigating yourself and putting yourself in danger.
Chris Hannah was bleeding from the head and not responding to verbal cues. Katelyn asked her 9-year-old brother, Alexander, to alert their mother, Tracy, and called 911.
On the phone with the dispatcher, Katelyn relayed information from Tracy, as paramedics arrived.
Katelyn, who knew paramedics would arrive, then ushered her three siblings to a neighbor’s house to shield them from their father’s injuries. Her other two siblings are Emmalyn, 7, and Madelyn, 5.
Chris Hannah spent a week in the intensive care unit as he was treated for a punctured lung, head lacerations, 11 broken ribs and a broken collarbone.
Today, Chris reports a substantial improvement and credits his daughter.
“I am a lot better, I won’t be 100 percent healed, but I am pretty much back to my normal routine,” said Chris, who does not recall much from the November accident.
“From what I heard, I was highly impressed by her actions,” he said. “She helped out with my wife in getting towels for my head, she helped out with the kids because it was traumatic for the younger children.”
Katelyn’s response drew praise from Brown, who noted her maturity and calm demeanor in a stressful situation, another of the qualifications for the award.
“It is about being resourceful, about being skilled and about being competent and having the presence of mind to be of service to others,” Brown said.
Future Leader
Katelyn’s response did not come as a surprise to her parents, who noted the incoming eighth-grader has taken on leadership roles in the community, including involvement in the Bristol Challenge 4-H Club.
“She has always been a natural. She is a very caring and compassionate person,” Tracy said. “And I think all of her training that she has gotten through the years, a lot of it is with Girl Scouts and 4-H, prepared her for it.”
Through several projects with both programs, she volunteered her time at Sharing Center in Trevor and Salem Community Library, mentoring younger children during the summer.
Tracy states her daughter’s role at the library has been remarkable.
“They did not have to turn any of the kids away from summer programs,” Tracy said.
Like the stressful situation in November, Katelyn had the same calm approach when accepting the award, staying modest, but eventually cracked a wide smile.
“I am just a very calm person about certain things and I keep going, telling myself ‘It’s going to be OK,’” Katelyn said.
Chris Hannah knows what she is capable of, and it reinforces his belief.
“I was very proud of her, I was not surprised, she has been a natural born leader for years,” Chris said. “She has always exemplified being calm in tough situations.”
However, while she has exemplified leadership, Katelyn Hannah has hobbies similar to her peers.
“I really enjoy doing crafts and doing things outdoors,” said Katelyn, adding her favorite animal is the chicken.