Female Soldier Hailed Hero After Saving Fellow Soldier from Horrific Accident
Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian has seen a lot in her time on this Earth, and she’s a woman on a mission. Born in Nigeria, Ehiarinmwian immigrated to Germany, went to school, got married and then moved to the U.S. “looking for something different.”
“[The U.S.] is different than where I grew up from,” she told the Army News Service. “And I just wanted to give back, and do something meaningful.”
And she found that sense of purpose in the U.S. Army, which she joined in 2017. This June, she was instrumental in saving a man’s life.
According to a Dec. 9 post by the United Service Organizations, she was driving to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii for training when the vehicle in front of her went off the road after colliding with a road sign.
“Before she knew it, the vehicle in front of her suddenly lost control and rolled over several times before coming to rest, upside down, on a steel property gate, almost impaling the driver,” the post reads.
“Without hesitation, Ehiarinmwian pulled her vehicle over and rendered assistance, asking the driver if he was injured. The driver was confused and in pain but responsive.
“She then proceeded to pull the driver from the smoking vehicle to get him to safety. Ehiarinmwian stayed with the driver until medical assistance arrived on site, providing further treatment. She placed the Army’s values before anything else and helped a soldier in need.”
While the situation was dangerous, Ehiarinmwian did everything correctly and acted swiftly to save the man’s life. She was aware of the risk, but she was still able to do what she needed to.
“I felt like the car was going to burst into flames,” she said. “But at the time, I didn’t think of the danger.”
“There was a purpose for me to be there.”
Unbeknownst to her, the man she’d saved was a soldier from her own unit.
Ehiarinmwian was able to make it to training, and the soldier walked away with minor injuries. Not thinking much of her heroic act, she carried on with her duties as usual. But she started to hear rumblings about an award.
More and more calls flooded in, culminating with a call from the Army’s top enlisted soldier, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston — an honor that was both exciting and nerve-wracking for Ehiarinmwian, who didn’t feel her actions were worthy of such recognition.
“I’m very proud of Sgt. Ehiarinmwian,” the sergeant said. “This is exactly the type of leader the Army builds — someone that is decisive and quick to take the appropriate action.”
“After talking with her and hearing her story, it’s a great reminder that our Army is full of people from all walks of life, looking for something bigger than themselves.”
Ehiarinmwian was awarded the 2020 USO Soldier of the Year award on Tuesday, solidifying the fact that she is a hero in many people’s eyes even if she thinks she was just doing her job.
“It’s good to lend a helping hand,” Ehiarinmwian said. “If I didn’t stop, no one would have been there to help him.
“After all, it’s just human nature to help other people.”
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