Hunter Johnson of Antioch, Illinois, is the 2010 Red Cross Youth Good Samaritan Hero.
This award is generously Sponsored by Harris Bank.
His small, brave voice on the 911 tape says it all. “Help! Mommy’s sick.” Six-year-old Hunter Johnson will receive the Youth Good Samaritan Award for taking charge of a very grown-up situation when his mother’s health was in peril.
On April 22, 2009, Sue Johnson was feeling terribly ill. She had a high fever and was too weak to take her son Hunter to school. As Sue lay in bed, Hunter came in to check on her. Placing his hand on her forehead, he said, “Mommy, you feel really hot.” He brought her a thermometer then went back downstairs to play.
The last thing Sue remembers is getting out of bed to walk to the bathroom. Minutes later, Hunter came back to check on his mom and found her collapsed on the floor. He tried to wake her up and offered her water, but she didn’t respond. Hunter remembered what his parents and teachers had taught him. He called 911.
Over the course of his mother’s rescue, Hunter displayed incredible calmness. He spoke to the emergency operator about the situation. He made sure the family’s 100-pound dog, Bongo, was in another room so he wouldn’t disrupt police officers. Hunter even met the police officers at the front door and led them upstairs to his mother.
“Hunter demonstrated an exceptional ability to take control of a crisis, as young as he was,” said Lawrence Hanson, mayor of Antioch. “Hunter's heroic ability to calmly respond to an emergency saved his mother's life and inspired our community.”
“He empowered himself to make adult choices, very positive, strong choices,” said Sue.
The medics told Sue that her high fever was extremely dangerous. Hunter’s actions surely protected his mother from harm that day. “Every morning, I hold his hand as we walk down the stairs, and I get teary. He’s my hero,” Sue said.
The Youth Good Samaritan Award is presented to an outstanding individual(s) who courageously and selflessly responds to a significant or unexpected crisis or need.
