Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian’s moment of bravery shows that Army soldiers are ready to step up to the challenge and save a life at any moment, even when they are off duty. While driving to physical training (PT) on base in 2020, the driver of the car in front of Ehiarinmwian – who was, unbeknownst to her, a soldier from her unit – suddenly lost control of their vehicle. The car collided with a road sign, was flipped through the air and then landed upside down, crashing through a security gate. Ehiarinmwian immediately jumped into action.
Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian was named the 2020 United Services Organization Soldier of the Year for her brave actions while off-duty.
Ehiarinmwian rushed to the driver’s side and assessed their injuries before carefully pulling them from the car, which had already begun to smoke.
“I felt like the car was going to burst into flames,” she said. “But at the time, I didn’t think of the danger.”
Instead, she thought only of ensuring that the driver was safe, and once the paramedics arrived and she was sure that her fellow solider was in good hands, Ehiarinmwian went about her day, business as usual, and arrived for PT with her unit. Ehiarinmwian explained that helping others is simply a part of the job description of a solider, and it’s an instinct that comes naturally – regardless of whether or not she’s on the clock.
“I was in shock and shaky, but I knew someone was in worse shape than I was,” she said. “There were no steps or thought behind it, [I] just got out of the car and helped.”
Ehiarinmwian was recognized as the USO Soldier of the Year 2020 for her bravery.
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Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian’s moment of bravery shows that Army soldiers are ready to step up to the challenge and save a life at any moment, even when they are off duty. While driving to physical training (PT) on base in 2020, the driver of the car in front of Ehiarinmwian – who was, unbeknownst to her, a soldier from her unit – suddenly lost control of their vehicle. The car collided with a road sign, was flipped through the air and then landed upside down, crashing through a security gate. Ehiarinmwian immediately jumped into action.
Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian was named the 2020 United Services Organization Soldier of the Year for her brave actions while off-duty.
Ehiarinmwian rushed to the driver’s side and assessed their injuries before carefully pulling them from the car, which had already begun to smoke.
“I felt like the car was going to burst into flames,” she said. “But at the time, I didn’t think of the danger.”
Instead, she thought only of ensuring that the driver was safe, and once the paramedics arrived and she was sure that her fellow solider was in good hands, Ehiarinmwian went about her day, business as usual, and arrived for PT with her unit. Ehiarinmwian explained that helping others is simply a part of the job description of a solider, and it’s an instinct that comes naturally – regardless of whether or not she’s on the clock.
“I was in shock and shaky, but I knew someone was in worse shape than I was,” she said. “There were no steps or thought behind it, [I] just got out of the car and helped.”
Ehiarinmwian was recognized as the USO Soldier of the Year 2020 for her bravery.