Maddie's Story
On March 5, 2009, to commemorate the heroism of Civil War steed Roderick and the 146th Anniversary of the Battle of Thompson’s Station, 10-year-old Madeline “Maddie” Grayson Adams was presented with the inaugural Roderick Award of Courage at the site of the horse’s final resting place.
The previous September, Maddie, then 9, saved her choking grandmother’s life by performing the Heimlich Maneuver, which she had seen demonstrated earlier that day on TV. When food became stuck in her grandmother’s throat and the woman began to black out, Maddie acted quickly. Coming up behind her grandmother, she put her arms around the woman’s midsection, and with her back against the kitchen counter for leverage, delivered a few quick thrusts to the diaphragm. The food was dislodged and her grandmother was able to breathe again.
A number of area residents were considered for the award, however, a panel of judges from the committee found Maddie’s story to be “truly incredible.”
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