Cub Scout Assists Elderly Neighbor in Emergency

Story by Lido Vizzutti of the Montana Council

Bear Cub Scout Blake G., 9, assisted 80-year-old neighbor after falling and breaking her leg.

Bear Cub Scout Blake G., 9, began riding his bike every day after school looking for people who might need help. He didn’t expect to assist in an emergency situation so soon, but luckily for a nearby neighbor, he was ready to lend a helping hand in the nick of time. 

It started on March 26, 2018, when, out for an after-school bike ride with his younger sister, McKenna, 8, he heard his neighbor Sally, 80, calling for help.

Quickly responding to her appeals for assistance, Blake – with Pack 155 of the Lewis and Clark District – found that Sally had fallen on the front step of her home in Great Falls, Mont., and severely broken her leg.

“I knew I needed to help her right away, but I was kind of nervous,” said Blake. “Her leg looked really bad so I knew I had to do something.”

Sally said she had been for calling for help for around an hour and a half and although a few people had passed, none, until Blake, had stopped to check on her.

Assessing the situation, Blake decided assistance from his father was the logical next step.

“I knew my dad would know how to help her better than I could by myself,” Blake said.

Scouting taught him in an emergency, “to figure out what the problem is so you can get an adult to help,” he said. “It’s also really important to stay calm, even if you’re scared.”

At home, Blake relayed the scene to his father Adam and together they returned to the neighbor who seemed to be going into shock. As Blake stayed with the injured woman, keeping her comforted, Adam entered her house to retrieve a blanket and call 911 from her home phone.

Sally, a Girl Scout through high school, told Blake her husband had passed away two months ago and she was alone. She said she was grateful for Blake and had a special place for him in her heart.

“Scouts are supposed to be kind and helpful,” said Blake.

The ambulance arrived to transport Sally to the hospital. Before departing, paramedics asked Blake why he had stopped to help her when so many passed by.

“Because I’m a Boy Scout,” he said.

In response to Blake’s assistance, Sally’s children released the following statement:

“We just want to thank Blake and his dad for the care and concern they showed for our mom. Mom says, ‘Blake is my angel.’ We are so appreciative that there are kids like Blake and parents like Rachel and Adam. Without their help, things could have ended very differently.”

KRTV reported on the story in a news segment yesterday, sharing the Cub Scout’s account of the emergency in the video below. You can read the full story at KRTV. 

Scouting Wire would like to thank Vice President of Public Relations of the Montana Council Mary Matelich and Media Specialist Lido Vizzutti of the Montana Council for submitting this story.