Submitted by her parents

Our Hero

One may ask‚ why do you think Bridgett Autry is a Hero? The answer that I can give you is that on June 13‚ 2002‚ she gave the ultimate sacrifice as an EMT-I. ‘Smurf’ as her fire department family knew her‚ had one main objective in life – to serve and protect the people in her community.

She was the youngest and most advanced member on the Herring Volunteer Fire Department. She was dedicated to her family and her community. Her death was a tragedy to her family‚ her neighbors‚ and stretched far beyond her community. The lives she touched will never be able to be measured in numbers. From her dedication to the fire department’s fire medic‚ to a soft smile she gave a stranger on the street.

In my mind‚ a hero is someone that puts his or her own needs aside‚ putting themselves in harms way‚ despite the danger that can and sometimes can’t be seen. Just to save a complete stranger’s life.

That is what Bridgett Autry stood for. If she could save one person‚ then in her mind‚ her job as an EMT-I was complete. So you ask me why I think Bridgett Autry is a hero‚ just step back and take a look at what she left behind. People for years to come will say‚ ‘If you can live life one fourth of the life Bridgett Autry lived in her 18 short years‚ then you can say that you have truly accomplished a great deed.’ As an old saying once read‚ ‘It’s not what you take when you leave this world‚ it’s what you leave when you go.’