“It took a lot of guts for him to do what he did.”
A boy in Donegal has been honoured by the HSE’s National Ambulance Service (NAS) for his “brave response” after his father fell off a cliff.
From Kilcar, 10-year-old Owen Cunningham raised the alarm after his dad Seamus sustained injuries from a serious fall which occurred while he was working on a farm fencing last November.
Realising the danger his father was in and not having a mobile phone with him, the boy ran home to get his dad medical attention before cycling back to him and waiting for help to arrive.
Seamus was treated for his injuries by NAS staff including a Paramedic and Advanced Paramedic from Killybegs Ambulance Station.
He was subsequently airlifted from the scene by the Coast Guard R118 helicopter.
A statement from the HSE outlines how those who attended the incident were impressed with Owen’s “calm and brave response”.
To acknowledge Owen’s actions, he was presented with a certificate of bravery at Kilcar National School on Wednesday (2 February), where members of the National Ambulance Service and the Coast Guard were in attendance.
“On the morning of 16 November last, we received an emergency call in the Donegal area. A man had sustained a serious fall,” NAS director Robert Morton said.
“The alarm was originally raised by a child who was there when the incident occurred and local crews were incredibly impressed by his calm approach throughout the incident.
“All of us at the HSE’s National Ambulance Service are delighted to present Owen with his bravery certificate today.
“And who knows, he may be a paramedic when he grows up?”
Seamus also praised his son for his bravery, stating: “I’m very proud of Owen… the outcome could have been much worse.
“He is a very brave boy. It took a lot of guts for him to do what he did. He stayed with me the whole time.”
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