Heroic Kids
From a recent snow-trudging savior to a bullet-braving girl from the past, we've seen proof that big things can come in small packages. These miniature superheroes deserve their own ticker-tape parades … or at least a trip to the toy store.
When the family truck (bound for a new home) skidded on ice and overturned in Iowa in early February, 4-year-old Averie went looking for help for her trapped family. She trudged through waist-deep snow and frigid temperatures until she found help at a nearby farmhouse.
While he was doing a typical dad duty (see where) in early February, Doug Oggeri suffered a heart attack. Daughter Colleen, an 18-year-old high school senior, saved his life by administering CPR until paramedics arrived.
The Alabama high school freshman noticed her French teacher turning blue last November. Tristin, 14, gave the choking teacher the Heimlich maneuver until the obstruction popped out.
When her father, Frank, collapsed in their northern California home last August, 3-year-old Alesaundra sprang into action. She walked two blocks to a nearby safe haven to get him the help he needed.
When 2-year-old Brendan Hearn was found facedown in the Midwestern family's pool last August, his mother, Tabitha, started giving chest compressions. That was until 9-year-old Logan stepped in. He was able to get the toddler breathing again.
Washington's Kellie Klennert suffered a seizure while taking I-405 (see it on a map) to their camping destination last May. Quick-thinking son Daylon, 11, was in the passenger's seat and steered the car to safety.
In April, 11-year-old Luis woke up to find a stranger in his mother's bed attacking her (see where they lived). Luis jumped on the man's back to protect his mother, but he, too, was attacked. Despite his wounds, he ran to the kitchen to retrieve a knife to scare the intruder off.
A 7-year-old boy — identified only as "Carlos" — dialed 911 from a locked bathroom when his parents were under attack in their home (here's where) in March. With the call, he saved not only his parents but his 6-year-old sister as well. How'd he know how to do that?
Tristan Lavin
Tristan Lavin
This 7-year-old boy from Margate grabbed his brother, 10, who nearly drowned in icy water last winter. Tristan held on to his brother's hand until help arrived.
Jennifer, a Florida high school senior, rescued her neighbor's 21-day-old daughter in 2009 (see where). The 17-year-old performed CPR on the newborn when she appeared to be choking (on what?) and was able to restore her breathing.
Tristan was 9 years old when his mother was struck by lightning at the breakfast table in their home (here) in 2009. She was barely able to instruct him to call his grandmother. But thanks to some practical pretending when he was younger, he knew to dial 911 instead.
Alexis suffered multiple gunshot wounds when, at age 7, she used her body as a human shield to protect her mother. When an angry ex-boyfriend kidnapped them outside their home (see which city) in December 2007 and shot her mother twice, Alexis tried to protect her.