WASHINGTON COUNTY (KFSM) — On Thursday (March 28) at the Washington County Sheriff's Office many men and women in uniform were recognized for their heroic acts -- a pair of Hindsville residents were also honored.
On October 20, 2018, James Giordano and Gayla McDaniel became heroes. They were both going about their day when they heard a vehicle crash into a tree. A woman was inside the car and desperately needed help.
"My walk turned to a run, and I couldn't get her out of the car, so I was hollering at him to call 911," McDaniel said.
Giordano knew he needed to stop the car before a terrible situation got even worse.
"With an accident like that, I had to figure out how to get the gear in and get her out before it caught fire," Giordano says.
They pulled the woman out with only moments to spare.
Giordano told 5NEWS "As soon as I got her out of that car and dragging her uphill it lit the tree and the car on fire."
The fast action and selflessness of the two saved the woman's life.
McDaniel says she knows if something like this were to happen again, she would do the same thing.
"You know it's a human being it's a life you do what you gotta do; that's how I was raised."
Sheriff Tim Helder presented the two with the Washington County Sheriff's Office Outstanding Citizen Award.
"The bottom of the line is this -- we have every day her's amongst us, and we don't even know it. I think given the opportunity most people are going to do the right thing, and this is an example of that," Helder said. "I think that if we see somebody in danger, in need, and we have the ability to help them; I think it's our obligation, not just people in uniform, not just firemen and policemen or EMT -- it's everybody's job to help their fellow man."
The pair say they never expected any recognition for what they did; both are just glad the woman they were able to save is okay.