Hero sisters save their Mum
THE Jia sisters of Cairns are not short on courage. Amanda Jia is proud of her daughters Kelci and Trenae for their quick thinking.
In fact, their mother Amanda may well owe her life to them.
Yesterday, the girls Trenae, 12, and Kelci, 7, were given Ambulance Week bravery awards for their life-saving actions after their mother suffered a seizure while driving on Ray Jones Drive in May.
Trenae, a year 7 student at St Gerard Majella school at Woree, grabbed the wheel and steered the car around a bend, then pulled on the handbrake.
But the scariest part of the ordeal came as the sisters jumped from the car to call for help and their mother, still not fully conscious, drove off, leaving the children alone on the busy road.
"Me and my sister were freaking out but we called our grandparents on Mum’s phone and they called the ambulance," Trenae said.
"Kelci worries if Mum has a seizure so got really scared when she drove off, but I told her it would be OK."
Ms Jia, who only regained conciousness when being loaded into the ambulance, said her girls had acted in a way "most adults couldn’t".
"I’ve never had a seizure while I’m being active, only ever while I’m at home relaxing, so while I had taught the girls how to handle it, it was never in a situation like this one," she said.
"I’m not sure I could even have been that calm, I’m so proud of them."
Trenae, who showed her award off at school yesterday, said she was a little surprised by all the fuss.
But the proud mother said her girls are taking it all in their stride and have proven they can deal with the media with as much grace as they can an emergency.
"They are loving the attention," Ms Jia said.
"I thought my youngest might get a bit shy and hide behind her sister but she was pushing her out of the way to get photos."
Winners: Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year: Karen Beattie of Cairns; Advanced Care Paramedic of the Year: Adam Byrne of Cairns; Patient Transport Officer of the Year: Constance Rovina from Cairns Ambulance Station; Ambulance Station of the Year: Mareeba station; Honorary Ambulance Officer of the Year: Eunice Hosea of St Pauls Community Moa Island 1st Responder Group; LAC Achiever of the Year: Lisette Brake from South Johnstone; Support Officer of the Year: Dawn Leary.
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My heroes: Amanda Jia is proud of her daughters Kelci (left) and Trenae for their quick thinking. Picture: CHRIS HYDE
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