The City of Prince Rupert bestowed a civic recognition award on a young Rupertite that helped save her father's life earlier this year.
Gianna Evans, who recently turned 13, was presented with the 2014 Sgt. Williams Booth Award For Valour by City of Prince Rupert mayor and council during a short presentation on Sept. 15.
This past January Evans' quick-thinking helped to save her father Bill's life. After he had a heart attack, Evans performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her dad until emergency responders arrived.
Doctors informed the family without Evans' fast action the outcome would've been much different.
Evans hadn't been trained to perform CPR, but had an idea how to from a babysitting course she had taken and a dance solo she had done that mimicked the emergency procedure.
“It felt really good [to receive the award],” said Evans, adding she was surprised to find out she had been nominated.
The Sgt. Williams Booth Award For Valour is given to citizens who “acting on their own initiative or as members of volunteer organizations, demonstrate unusual humanitarian effort in order to help and protect their fellow citizens, sometimes placing themselves at great personal risk”.
“The award is presented in memory of Sgt. William Booth, a pioneer of our city who gave his life to save three local children on Aug. 11, 1921,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Jack Mussallem during the presentation, noting in the history of the city only three others have received this award.
The city can choose to award civic recognitions on individuals or groups in the community acknowledging outstanding achievements in a number of areas.