JACKSONVILLE, Texas — The holiday season is the season for giving, and there is no better gift one can give than life.
Two Jacksonville students received a heroism award from the Jacksonville Fire Department for helping to save two lives in the last two months.
During Jacksonville's city council meeting, Fire Chief Keith Fortner recognized Ta'Kyeria Montgomery, a 9th grader at Jacksonville High School, for her quick action after visiting one of her teachers.
On Nov. 4, Montgomery stopped by her teacher Mrs. Gowin and immediately saw something was not right. After asking Mrs. Gowin a few questions, Montgomery saw her teacher was having a stroke. Montgomery helped give her immediate medical attention before calling in another teacher to help.
"I love her and thank her very much for having a cool spirit and being able to think under pressure and being able to execute and do what she needed to do for me," said Mrs. Gowins, who is safely back at work teaching biology. "She literately saved my life." .
The fire department also recognized Olivia Boggs, a 7th grade student at Jacksonville Middle School, who helped keep a bus full of children calm during an emergency.
On Oct. 28, Boggs was riding on a school bus when her bus driver had a medical emergency. The bus veered off the road and hit a guard rail.
When the bus came to a stop, bus went up the rows of students, checking on each one while also checking to ensure the driver was okay. She also helped to reassure those on the bus that everyone would be alright.
Boggs says she struggles with anxiety but has taught herself to stay calm in stressful situations.
"I really didn't want to be thanked for something that I just did out of knowledge and kind of experience from somethings," Boggs said.