The Mitchell County Board of Commissioners during its regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 7 honored a quartet of local heroes for their courage in the face of recent emergencies.
The board enacted resolutions recognizing Tom Glenn, Tyler Dellinger, Shelia Duncan and Trevor Self. Glenn and Dellinger were instrumental in aiding the 2-year-old child who shot himself in early January and Duncan and Self were key in saving Marion police officer Breanna Toney after a head-on wreck on Jan. 31.
Dellinger, a probation officer, arrived at the scene of the accidental shooting first on Jan. 5. He found the mother and child in the bathroom.
Dellinger told the mother to elevate the child’s leg and apply pressure while he got a tourniquet. He applied the tourniquet and helped the pair stay calm until Mitchell EMS arrived.
Glenn, also a probation officer, arrived on the scene shortly after. He engaged the child’s older sibling and helped him remain calm.
“Probably, a little boy is here with us today because of y’all’s heroic efforts,” said Board Chair Steve Pitman. “We really appreciate that.”
Self pulled Toney from her burning car on Jan. 31. He was on his way to work when he came upon the scene.
“I’ve known this family my whole life,” Pitman said about Self. “It didn’t surprise me at all when I heard.”
Commissioner Jeff Harding said it’s hard to know what anyone else would do in such a situation.
“You just reacted,” Harding said. “You put your life second to save hers. Without you doing what you have done, this lady would not be going home to her daughters.”
The board also recognized Duncan, the 911 operator who fielded Self’s call reporting the crash.
She kept Self on the line, encouraged him, kept asking appropriate questions and quickly summoned the appropriate emergency agencies.
“We have great people in Mitchell County,” said Commissioner Matthew “Vern” Grindstaff. “People that give. People that care.”