Willie, a Quaker parrot, is the first bird to win the American Red Cross Animal Lifesaver Award. Willie alerted his owner to a choking toddler by squawking, “Momma, baby. Momma, baby.” when 2 year old Hannah was choking on a Pop Tart. The owner, Megan Howard, performed the Heimlich just in time as Hannah’s lips and face were turning blue. Megan knew there was an emergency as Willie is normally a quiet bird. Megan notes that Willie started to screaming and flapping his wings. There was panic in his voice like she had never heard before from Willie. Megan is Hannah’s babysitter not mother. Needless to say, Hannah’s mother is grateful to both Willie and Megan.Red Cross spokesman, Jim Rettew, stated, "Obviously, Willie played a very important role in saving a little girl's life. This was not just a bird chirping for his food. He saw that there was an emergency and used exemplary behavior to notify the babysitter that the child was choking."Usually dogs are recognized by the American Red Cross with the Animal Lifesaver Award. The Denver chapter of the American Red Cross had nominated Willie for the award.
Papagaio salva garotinha e vira herói nos EUA
Thursday, March 26, 2009
DENVER, March 24 (UPI) -- A pet parrot was honored with the Colorado Red Cross' Animal Lifesaver Award after it alerted a babysitter that a baby was choking.
Willie the parrot, owned by Megan Howard, was given the award at a ceremony Friday that was also attended by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and other Red Cross honorees -- which except for Willie were all human, KCNC-TV, Denver, reported Tuesday.
Howard said she had brought Willie with her while she was babysitting for toddler Hannah Kuusk in November. She said she had went to the bathroom while the child was eating breakfast and heard Willie repeatedly shout: "Mama, baby!"
The babysitter said she found Hannah was choking on her breakfast and had begun to turn blue. She performed the Heimlich maneuver and cleared the toddler's airway.
"He's kind of small and he's just a bird but he's in there with all of these people that have gone above and beyond just to save people's lives and it's an honor to be in there and know he's recognized for what he did," Howard said.
© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Willie the parrot, owned by Megan Howard, was given the award at a ceremony Friday that was also attended by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and other Red Cross honorees -- which except for Willie were all human, KCNC-TV, Denver, reported Tuesday.
Howard said she had brought Willie with her while she was babysitting for toddler Hannah Kuusk in November. She said she had went to the bathroom while the child was eating breakfast and heard Willie repeatedly shout: "Mama, baby!"
The babysitter said she found Hannah was choking on her breakfast and had begun to turn blue. She performed the Heimlich maneuver and cleared the toddler's airway.
"He's kind of small and he's just a bird but he's in there with all of these people that have gone above and beyond just to save people's lives and it's an honor to be in there and know he's recognized for what he did," Howard said.
© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
