By Emily Burleigh

The city of Leesville honored long-time resident Rosie Hackett on Monday with the Heroism Samaritan Award.

Hackett is a pharmacy technician at the Walmart Supercenter in Leesville. On Dec. 10, while on her work break, she went to the restroom. She noticed the individual in the stall beside her was not moving or making noise.

“I observed everything around me and I just noticed a dark shadow on the floor. … I went to go wash my hands, and something just told me, a guess a premonition, to go and check that stall,” she recalled with the American Press. “I just saw something shaggy laying on the floor.”

She rushed to the customer service desk to tell her coworkers to call 911 and returned to the stall. After dunking under the stall door and unlocking it, she found the woman unresponsive.

“I went to check her pulse. There was no pulse at all. That’s when I realized her face was blue.

“That’s when I was frightened because I didn’t really know what was going on.”

She began to perform CPR and compression on the woman. After a few rounds of compressions and aid from her coworkers, the woman took a breath. Shortly after, New Llano EMTs showed up to take over and transport the woman to the hospital.

While the hospital was not able to tell her much, Hackett was informed the woman she performed CPR on was in stable condition.

“The friend was crying … she thanked me and told me the woman had two little boys at home,” she said. “I was just very happy that she was still able to be there with her children on Christmas Day and to bring in a New Year’s with her children.”

Acting selflessly is not a new concept to Hackett. For 57 years she has remained an active volunteer and community member.

“I love to give and help people. … At the end of the day, even if I don’t get any reward, I’m still going to end up getting my reward from God,” she said. “But, it was truly amazing to be able to receive the award from the City of Leesville.”

That honor was enhanced by the memory of childhood friends. Hackett attended school with Leesville Mayor Rick Allen and a few of the City Council members.

“We went through all three grades together,” Allen said while presenting the award. “We live amongst heroes every day and today it just so happens that one of the heroes is a personal friend of mine. We’re so grateful that you came and that you were there to save this person’s life.”

“I wouldn’t have rathered receive it from anyone other than him,” Hackett told the American Press. “It made it even more special. Even the hug.”