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| Welcome to Wesleyan Weekend |
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Wesleyan Encore Student Sonya Shannon did not hesitate to provide aid to a man whose car veered off the road in front of her one morning in February of 2007 while commuting to school. Her heroism inspired thousands locally through an article in The Macon Telegraph and news coverage on 13WMAZ. By May, her story resonated with a national audience when she received a VITA Wireless Samaritan Award from The Wireless Foundation.
According to The Wireless Foundation, “Every day more than 230,000 wireless phone calls are made to 9-1-1. That is why the VITA™ (Latin for "life") Wireless Samaritan Awards are presented annually to honor people across the United States who used their wireless technology to save lives, stop crime, and help in other emergency situations. These individuals exemplify the importance of putting safety first, as well as the crucial role wireless technology can play in emergencies.”
In February, Shannon found herself playing a crucial role in an emergency when a heart attack forced a 63-year-old man off the inter-state. Shannon said, “I knew that something was wrong so I pulled over, went around to the front of the other car, looked back, and saw that the driver had collapsed onto the passenger side of the car."
According to Peach County EMS officials, the man was driving north on I-75 when he went into cardiac arrest and drove his car off the highway. Quick-thinking Shannon called 9-1-1 with her wireless phone and administered CPR through the wireless guidance of emergency personnel until paramedics arrived on the scene. The man was transported to a hospital in Albany, Georgia. Although he passed away later that week, family members credited Shannon for extending his life, allowing family and friends the opportunity to say goodbye.
After Shannon’s heroism inspired thousands locally, her story reached officials at The Wireless Foundation in Washington D.C. who chose her as a 2007 VITA Wireless Samaritan. Roughly 50 individuals from across the U.S. are chosen each year for using wireless technology to save a life, stop a crime, or help in an emergency situation.
Shannon, a full-time nontraditional student, graduated in May 2007 from Wesleyan with a major in international relations. After graduation, she accepted an internship in Atlanta as a case manager at the International Rescue Committee. Currently, she is pursuing graduate studies at Kennesaw State University in the Master of Science in Conflict Management program. She intends to continue working in the field of peace studies while becoming a worthy mediator and resolution specialist.
“Helping people,” she said, “is just something I really enjoy doing.” |
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