Cpl. Annette Goodyear of the North East Police Department was assisting children in crossing the street to get to school on Friday morning when a car suddenly came speeding towards the crosswalk — all while the child was crossing the road. “Everything just happened so quickly,” she said, “It just didn’t seem real.”
According to video from the incident, as the student approached the crosswalk, Goodyear, who was wearing an orange safety vest, raised her hand to stop incoming traffic. As soon as Goodyear saw the approaching car, she reached for the student and pushed her out of the way just in time. The officer was struck by a vehicle that failed to stop in time.
Goodyear, who was not able to get up right away after being hit, said her first priority after being hit was to make sure the student was okay. “I was lying on the ground and looking up, and the first thing that came to mind was, ‘Where is the student?'” she recalled.
Despite the fact that the student was not physically hurt, Goodyear told the newspaper that the student was “panicked” by what had happened. ”I felt terrible because I couldn’t just jump up and grab her and say, ‘Everything’s fine,'” she continued.
What was going through Goodyear’s mind at the time? Being a mother of three, she said, contributed to her quick thinking. “This is a kid, and I’m an adult. No matter what happens, you gotta protect that child and make sure that child is safe,” she explained. “That was the only thing that was going through my mind. If I have to take the brunt of it, that’s what’s going to happen.”
“Amazingly enough, and just speaking to her character and sense of community we have here, she actually went back to the school and checked on the little girl,” Danielle Hornberger, Cecil County Executive said. “It’s breathtaking; it’s amazing, and we’re just so proud to have Corporal Goodyear in our community.”
After being released from the hospital, Goodyear went to the student’s house to personally check on her. “She came down the stairs, saw me standing there, and started crying as she walked toward the door,” the officer explained.
The driver who failed to stop at the crosswalk was ticketed for several traffic violations, while Corporal Annette Goodyear received a commendation for her bravery. “I will be awarding a citation to Annette Goodyear for her heroism in putting herself at risk to save a young student from being hit by an oncoming car,” said Maryland Governor Hogan.
What the brave and selfless police officer did is a great thing. What’s more, it is also a picture of what we can do for others. For all have sinned, everyone is facing the wrath of God and the eternal punishment as a result of our sins. But what we can do is to share the Good News to them so that they can be saved. Let us pull people by telling them about the love of Christ and tell them to repent and trust in Jesus.