San Diego Girl Scout Earns Rare Medal Of Honor After Saving Dad's Life

SAN DIEGO, CA — A San Diego middle school student was honored this week with the Girl Scouts of the USA Medal of Honor after saving her father's life.

Girl Scouts San Diego on Tuesday recognized Cadette Girl Scout Amelia Umstadter with the organization's Medal of Honor, making her only the fourth Girl Scout from San Diego and Imperial counties to earn the honor in the last decade.

The award — one of the highest honors in the Girl Scouts — is given to young leaders who have "shown heroism and sound judgment in an emergency to save a life without risk to their own life," according to Girl Scouts San Diego.

Amelia, who lives in the San Diego community of Rancho Peñasquitos, started CPR and told her mother to call 911 after her father choked, fell and became unconscious. She performed CPR until he resumed breathing and first responders arrived. Her quick actions saved her father's life and allowed him to walk away from the incident with only minor injuries, according to Girl Scouts San Diego.

"For Amelia to maintain composure during a critical and emotional time is extraordinary," said Carol Dedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego.

"As GSSD strives to help girls develop the skills to improve their own lives and the world around them, Amelia serves as a shining example of the highest principles of the Girl Scout Promise and Law," she added. "She truly embodies what it means to be a leader of courage, confidence, and character, who makes the world a better place."

Amelia, a seventh grader at High Tech Middle Mesa, said she learned first aid skills during a class at school and with Encinitas Junior Lifeguards.

"After going through this, my mom and I took the Girl Scouts San Diego First Aid course and are now CPR certified," she said. "I told my troop to also take the class, and I want to encourage everyone to become educated on basic life-saving procedures and what to do in an emergency."