Boy lauded a hero for crash rescue

A Millbridge teenager has been awarded the St John Ambulance Community Hero award after he rescued his siblings following a car rollover in the Mid West last year.

Mitchell Hartwig, 13, was travelling with his family, including his sister and two brothers, when their vehicle rolled near Carnarvon.

Mitchell said he was able to escape from the overturned car and was moving away because he was concerned it may explode.

“That’s when I heard (his sister) Lyla screaming my name,” he said.

“She was still stuck in the car with her seatbelt wrapped around her.

“I ran straight for her, not thinking of anything else, I just ran straight to my sister.”

Mitchell said he was able to untangle his sister and pull her free of the vehicle before pulling her twin brother Connor free.

“I put them roughly around 10 metres away from the car,” he said.

“I went back to look for my brother (Kaden) and he was still stuck in the car.

“I couldn’t help him because he was up and stuck in there.

“There were a few blankets about so I laid a blanket out and laid Connor and Lyla down and made them comfortable.

Mitchell said a number of cars stopped at the scene and a St John Ambulance arrived quickly to help the rest of his family.

Volunteer ambulance officer Fay Castling was one of the first emergency services personnel to arrive on scene and said she noticed Mitchell’s bravery straight away.

“It is difficult to put into words the maturity and responsibility Mitchell displayed with all his siblings as his mother and stepfather were not able to contribute, due to their condition,” she said.

“Mitchell held things together the whole time, taking responsibility for his siblings and providing us with valuable information.

”Our job would have been so much more difficult without his assistance.”