Mahliyah Perez receives Cetronia Ambulance Corps’ first-ever Citizen Hero Award

July 3, 2019 | Category: Press Releases

Allentown, Pa. – Cetronia Ambulance Corps awarded its first-ever Citizen Hero Award today, July 3, 2019, to 9-year old, Cetronia Elementary School student Mahliyah (Mia) Perez.

It was pouring down rain the evening of Friday, April 26 in Breinigsville, Pa., when Mia was traveling in a car with an adult female driver and two other children on her way to her very first sleepover. With the treacherous weather conditions, the driver ended up losing control and hydroplaned, leaving the vehicle it on its roof, off the road and stuck between two trees. Mia had been a rear passenger on the driver’s side and the only one able to free herself.

At that moment, Mia sprang into action managing to find her way out through the trunk of the car. She proceeded to run up the road and flag down a car for help. The driver of that car asked Mia to get into their car and she refused, knowing not to get into any cars with strangers. She asked them to just follow her to the accident scene. She led them back to the car on foot and crawled back into the vehicle to remove a female toddler from her car seat and assisted in removing her 9-year old friend from the front passenger seat as well. The driver of the vehicle needed to be extricated by the Upper Macungie Fire Department.

When paramedic Jenn Eicholtz from Cetronia Ambulance Corps arrived on the scene, she was astounded by the bravery and courage shown by this young girl. After completing her accident report, Jenn went to Cetronia Ambulance Corps Director of Operations Chris Peischl, and asked that they reward Mia for her actions. CEO, Larry Wiersch of Cetronia Ambulance Corps was happy to create this award on Mia’s behalf. “It’s not every day that you see this type of bravery and courage from an adult, let alone a child. What really astounded us all in addition to her assisting with removing passengers from the vehicle was the fact that Mia stood to her grounds and practiced what she had been taught about strangers. Her mother should be very proud of Mia,” said Wiersch.