Community Corner

Heroic Parkville Sisters Save 'Poppy's' Life

Sisters Emily and Riley called 911 to save their grandfather.

Emily and Riley Stunkel were having an ordinary Thursday back in March when things suddenly took a turn for the dramatic.

The sisters were playing at their home on Emerald Road when they heard a loud thump. Emily, 6, and Riley, 3, went to investigate and found their grandfather Richard Forstner collapsed in a bathroom.

"I was ill that day, I went into the restroom and I fell; I stood up, sort of dazed and fell again," Forstner said. "I fell a third time, across the bathtub. The girls came in and they asked me 'poppy, are you ok?' I told them 'no, I'm hurtin' and that's when they went and got my cell phone."

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The girls called 911 and thanks to their quick thinking, their grandfather is still alive today. He was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and later transferred to the R. Adams Cowley shock trauma center where he fought an infection in his leg for two weeks. Doctors also told him that he may have had a heart attack.

"They're my heroes, they saved my life," Forstner said.

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On Thursday afternoon, the girls were honored by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz at the Towson courthouse along with the 911 operator who took their call, Heather Baker.

Kamenetz presented each of the girls with an executive citation and a Baltimore County hero pin, which they wore proudly on their matching dresses.

Baker, who has worked in the county's 911 center for 14 years, was also given a citation and a pin.

"I got the call from the girls, they knew their address and answered all my questions," Roberts said. "I think the girls are wonderful—I couldn't ask for better callers; and they're super cute. Their family should be proud of them, I hope my kids would do that."

Emily and Riley's mother Krystyna Forstner is proud that her girls were able to save her father.

"I was in the hospital at the time, because I'd had a really bad seizure," she said. "I was beside myself because I couldn't be there. It was just a really crazy situation but they stayed calm and they called."

Krystyna's medical condition is one of the reasons the girls knew what to do that day.

"My parents taught them how to dial 911 because of my seizure condition, in case we were ever at home without them and I had one—that way they'd know what to do," she said.

Richard Forstner said that his granddaughters had something to teach the public.

"That's what the public needs to know—kids need to know how to call 911, know their address and not be afraid to talk to the operator," he said. "You always think you're taking care of them, but you never know when they could be taking care of you."

According to a statement from Baltimore County, Baker and the two children were also honored by 9-1-1 for Kids, Public Education; the National 9-1-1 Education Coalition and the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

"We are very proud of [Baker's] performance and also of these two very young girls who did a better job than many adults in a difficult situation. I encourage all parents to train their children how and when to call 9-1-1 for help," said County Executive Kevin Kamenetz in a statement.


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