Children are constantly underestimated. We think they don’t pay attention, but next thing you know, they’re summarizing what we just talked about with someone else. You might even be left in awe by how intelligent a small child in your life is. My ten-year-old brother will use big words in his sentences and it leaves me wondering how he knows them.
The girl in the video below, however, did something even an adult may have not thought to do. On January 15, California third grader, Isabell Pierce, and her father, Brian Pierce, were driving. A loud sound was heard, the driver’s window was broken, and suddenly there was a bullet in Brian’s chest.
Most eight-year-olds would’ve froze, at a loss of what to do, but Isabell is no ordinary eight-year-old.
“Brian grabbed his sweatband and placed it over the wound on his chest,” Sheriff Devon Bell said. Isabell, a quick-thinker, put her hands over the sweatband to apply pressure to the wound.
Brian drove to a fire station where he received medical attention. Isabelle kept the pressure on the wound the entire drive, and it’s because of her actions that her dad is alive.
Isabell was presented with a Medal of Merit Monday morning by Sheriff Bell for her bravery and quick-thinking.
While presenting the medal, Sheriff Bell said: “Isabell absolutely remained calm and composed during the entire incident. She said she needed to focus to keep her dad alive.” How an eight-year-old managed not to lose it after seeing her dad shot is beyond us, but her father is incredibly lucky that she didn’t.
The man who shot Brian was Stanley Stepanski, 48-years-old, and it happened just moments before he’d shot and killed an elderly woman in her home. He’d also shot at other business, homes, and vehicles, but was caught and fatally shot by an officer.
Brian, thankfully, is now recovering from his wound and is doing okay. And Isabell is enjoying her new found recognition!
“Usually my teacher’s would say you’re Emily’s little sister, right? But now people are like, to Emily, “Your Isabell’s older sister, right? So…now they actually know who I am.” We’re happy to hear Isabell is getting the recognition she deserves after her composure and bravery during the drive to the fire station.
If you’d like to hear more about Isabell’s amazing feat, watch the video below!
