By Mike Donahue

Moapa Valley Progress

There are all kinds of heroes recognized for all kinds of actions taken in all kinds of conditions. Heroes come in all sizes, genders and ages. They emerge from all kinds of situations including war, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and on and on.

Basically, a hero is a person who is distinguished by their actions or reaction to a situation that might have caused serious injury or death had they not acted in a certain manner.

More often than not, in today’s world when we think of a hero we think of the Marine or soldier or sailor who sacrifices himself or herself for fellow services members. But that’s not always the case and it certainly doesn’t apply in the recent situation involving 8-year-old Kimberly Sanchez of Moapa.

Kimberly, Kim, is a pretty third grader at Ute V. Perkins Elementary School in Moapa. She likes to play outdoors, has a special place in her heart for horses, pays attention to what’s going on around her and she really, really likes school.

More than anything else, Kim likes to help others. She is generous to a fault. Kim lives with her mom Marie, dad Oscar, sisters Ruby, 15, and Lulu, 2, and brother Cesar, 4, in the Lytle Ranch area of Moapa.

While she sounds pretty normal, she is, on the contrary, pretty special. In fact she is very, very special. Some might even call her a hero.

Like a lot of people, yours truly included, Kim struggles with math. To keep up she gets tutoring after school on the Moapa River Indian Reservation.

On a Tuesday about the middle of last month, it was about 4:30 p.m. and time for after-school tutoring so mom Marie loaded up Kim, Cesar and Lulu and headed out to the reservation. The smaller kids were in their car seats in back while Kim sat in front.

Marie had just turned down Reservation Road off U.S. 168 when without warning she blacked out, apparently suffering a mild seizure.

In the blink of an eye, a familiar drive on what had appeared to be just another ordinary day turned out to be anything but.

Here we have a big SUV zipping down the road carrying four people, three of them young children, and the only one who knows anything about driving is out cold in the driver’s seat with her foot still pressing on the accelerator.

Kim says that in the briefest of seconds, everything seemed pretty normal. Then something alerted her that things were not right.

“I heard a noise or a sound or something and I looked over at mom and her eyes were closed but we were still driving down the road,” Kim said. “She was kind of slumped over and I was really, really scared. I thought she was pretty much dead or something.”

Who wouldn’t be terrified?

Fortunately, being scared wasn’t enough to deter Kim from doing what she had to do to save her mom and siblings.

“First I grabbed the steering wheel and steered the car off the road,” Kim said. “Then I got down on the floor and moved mom’s foot off the gas and I pressed on the brake with my hand until the car stopped. It was really scary. I turned off the car and then I got in her purse for the cell phone and called 911.”

It wasn’t long before the police and emergency services appeared on the scene and took care of Marie and the kids.

It wasn’t a pretty sight since Marie had bitten her tongue and the inside of her mouth during the seizure and blood was spilling over her lips.

“I was really scared and so was my little brother Cesar,” Kim repeated. “He was screaming.”

Kim says she learned what do with the car and the cell phone in Ute V. Perkins Elementary School.

“I just did what they taught me in school,” she said simply. “I knew which pedals to push because I had watched my mom drive and I knew which one made the car go or stop.”

It is often said that when faced with a life-threatening situation, your whole life flashes before your eyes. For 8-year-old Kim, it took just long enough for her to get past it and then take care of business.

Kim said she had nightmares for days after the incident but she’s better now.

So is Marie who was told that stress and high blood pressure were probably to blame for her seizure.

“I am so amazed that Kim was able to do everything,” Marie said. “She is a good example for other kids everywhere. I am so thankful. I am very blessed. My kids are wonderful.”

Marie says everyone, including the whole family, considers Kim a hero.

I have to agree.

“Rural Rants” is a column about rural living and the people who live here. It appears the first and third Wednesday of the month. Your comments and input are important and will be appreciated. Contact me via email at mouse@mvdsl.com