Morgan deLeur
EVERETT — A fifth-grader from Garfield Elementary School in Everett has been awarded the AAA Lifesaver Award and has also been nominated for the national AAA Lifesaving Medal.
After school Jan. 31, while performing her duties as a AAA School Safety Patroller, Morgan deLeur saved the life of a classmate crossing the busy intersection of 23rd and Pine in the Riverside Neighborhood.
DeLeur was guiding her classmate and her classmate’s little brother in the crosswalk when a car proceeded to pull through the intersection.
“We were about to step out into the road and I looked all four directions to make sure every car was stopped, and (they were),” said deLeur. “I was about halfway in the road with the kids right behind me, and the car that I looked directly at (when stopped), was driving.”
As she noticed the previously stopped car driving through the intersection toward them, her instincts kicked in.
“My first thought was ‘Is (my classmate) behind me?’ and she was actually standing right next to me when I looked back,” said deLeur. “Her brother was far enough back that I didn’t have to do anything to him.”
She responded quickly and pulled on her classmate’s sleeve, stopping her just in time from walking out in front of the moving car.
“I could see that she didn’t really know what was happening,” said deLeur, referring to her classmate. “But she looked at me and she definitely looked scared.”
“The car actually stopped right in front of me and they were like, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ We were still in the road, but I stepped back and I let the car go,” said deLeur. “After the car left I just crossed her back over the street with her brother.”
AAA Washington recognized deLeur’s courageous action and nominated her for a national AAA Lifesaving Medal, the highest award to be given to a patroller.
“Her father and I are very proud of Morgan,” said mother Shannon deLeur.
“She does a lot of good things at school, so we weren’t surprised, but it’s definitely very nice to see that she gets to have a little bit of recognition for all of her hard work.”
The AAA Safety Patrol Program only nominates patrollers for this honor, who while on duty, have saved the life of someone in imminent danger.
“Garfield Elementary takes great pride in our long history with AAA Safety Patrol,” said Principal Kathleen Stillwell in an Everett School District news release. “We are so excited that Morgan has been awarded this prestigious honor for her heroic act. Morgan is a shining example of Garfield Pride.”
Looking back to that day, deLeur is unsure how to feel about the situation.
“It’s kind of weird. I’ve never really experienced something like this before. I don’t really know what to expect,” deLeur said humbly.
Another Everett fifth-grader was recently recognized and inducted into the 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame: Sabine Pasinetti from Forrest View Elementary.
Among nearly 45 nominations, Pasinetti was one of 10 to achieve the honor.
Pasinetti was nominated due to her excellent leadership skills and readiness to help when needed, according to the Everett School District.
AAA created the School Safety Patrol 100 years ago and has been inducting outstanding patrollers into the local Hall of Fame for 29 years. It partners with local agencies to bring the program to elementary schools across the state.
