Awards for life-saving act
A woman whose brave actions saved the life of a man after a violent attack outside her Horsham home has been recognised with two awards.
A Horsham woman who saved the life of a man injured in a violent incident has been awarded two top national honours.
Saonie Wilkin went to the aid of two men who were attacked and robbed outside her house late at night on August 26 last year.
She brought one of them back from the brink of death after he collapsed and stopped breathing during the incident, which happened at 11pm.
Now Saonie has been awarded two top national honours – one for her bravery and the other for saving the man’s life.
Saonie heard a commotion in the street outside her home and when she rushed outside she found two injured men.
By then their three attackers were running away but she had no idea what sort of danger she might have to face in the dark street.
She provided tissues for one of the attack victims who was bleeding. But then the second victim came towards her, fell to the ground, began having convulsions and stopped breathing.
Saoniecheckedhisairways and then immediately began to administer CPR.
After about ten chest compressions the man suddenly gasped and started breathing again, though he was still unresponsive.
Saonie placed him in the recovery position and then a medically trained neighbour who had arrived on the scene took over caring for the man, who went on to survive.
Now Saonie has been awarded a Royal Humane Society Testimonial on Parchment for her bravery.
She is also to receive one of the society’s Resuscitation Certificates for bringing the man back from the brink of death after he stopped breathing.
The society is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life. Andrew Chapman, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, praised Saonie’s actions.
He said: “Saonie acted with great courage. Despite the potential danger to her, she went out into the dark street to see what was happening.
“She then helped one man who was bleeding from the attack he had suffered and resuscitated the other one after he collapsed and stopped breathing. She was a true heroine and richly deserves the awards that have been made to her.”
No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the awards.