Young sister’s hailed a hero
a young girl has been hailed a hero after rushing to her brother’s aid when he was knocked down in West Lothian last week.
oshanne Hartley (13) was walking to school with her brother Johnny (14) when he was struck by a car in Whitburn, breaking both his legs.
despite being badly shaken by the incident last Monday, oshanne was quick to react, phoning both her parents and calming down her brother as he lay hurt on the road.
oshanne, from stoneyburn, said:“i didn’t really know what to do so i phoned mum and she didn’t pick up, so i phoned dad.
“i was crying for a bit because i thought he was unconscious but then he woke up and i started telling him to stay calm and that he would be fine and that we had phoned the ambulance.”
the accident happened on Manse road, Whitburn, at around 8.20am – after the school bus on which the teenagers were travelling broke down.
oshanne is just completing her first year at secondary school and her dad said he is proud of how she reacted.
dad gary said:“oshanne was behind Johnny with her friend when it happened. she phoned her mum and then she phoned me and i drove there as fast as i could.
“she tried to keep Johnny calm, telling him not to move because she realised how badly he had hurt his legs.”
oshanne’s aunt, Lorraine sommerville, said:“she was absolutely terrified out of her wits but she was so brave and i just think she’s a hero.”
Johnny is recuperating at home following the accident after being rushed to Wishaw general Hospital in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
gary said:“He has two broken legs but he’s recovering now.”