A very brave seven-year-old was honoured by Squamish's first responders outside of the local RCMP detachment on Oct. 8..
Adelaide Prince and her mother, both local residents, were in a serious car accident on Sept. 9 near a popular lookout, just north of Britannia.
The car went down a 30-foot embankment with her mother trapped in the car and injured, RCMP say.
Officers say Prince managed to crawl out of the car, climb up the embankment, and wave down passersby until someone stopped. Good Samaritans and first responders, including Britannia Beach Volunteer Fire Department, BC Ambulance Service, and Squamish RCMP came to her aid.
The collision snarled traffic for hours. Prince's mother was airlifted to the hospital while she was transported via a ground ambulance.
"I just felt a big boom and then it started getting way worse," said Prince.
"I found a window, kicked it open, because it was cracked and there was already a really big hole in it. So I climbed up the [embankment] in my bare feet" — she had lost her shoes in the accident — "and started waving down help."
Prince and her mother have been recovering since then.
It was an act of courage that didn't go unnoticed. Britannia Beach Volunteer Fire Department and Squamish RCMP each took turns commending Prince's actions.
"On behalf of the Squamish RCMP, thank you for being a hero," said Const. Ashley MacKay during the ceremony. "You are a fearless girl and we are very proud of you. And one day, when you're bigger, it would be our honour to work alongside you as a fellow first responder."
Prince was then presented with an honorary plaque, a stuffed lion — symbolizing her bravery — and flowers, among other things.
Her mother, Brynn, said that her daughter likely saved her life.
"We couldn't be seen from the road, and nobody saw it happen, so I don't know what would have happened — how much blood I would've lost," she said.
Bandages were visible on Brynn's hand and wrist during the ceremony. She said she had 13 stitches.
"I have absolutely no memory of before the crash…. I have flashes of crashing, I think a lot of airbags hitting. And then... hanging on an angle from my seat belt and not being able to get out. And then somebody's little voice from the back came through and said, 'I'm OK.' And then got herself out," Brynn said.
Prince's experience may be shaping her path for the future.
After the incident, she said she'd like to become a doctor when she grows up.
**Please note, this story has been corrected since it was first posted. The award ceremony was held Oct. 8 not Sept. 8, as originally stated.
