SALISBURY, Md.- We all know heroes wear a badge or serve our country overseas. But on Tuesday, a local woman who can also be hailed as a hero when she unexpectedly saved a man's life.
"A lot of people are saying, 'You are a hero in this,' but I just feel like I was doing what I should do," said Beth Kellam, who is a physician's assistant student at University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
However, first responders are calling Kellam a Good Samaritan. On Saturday, Kellam was sitting in her car in a parking lot off of Business Route 13 South in Salisbury when she said she suddenly noticed a man passed out inside of his truck.
"When I got to the truck I realized he was unresponsive and not breathing," she said.
Kellam said she was unable to pull the man out of his truck on her own so she ran for help at a nearby gym.
"We got him out of the truck and started CPR and chest compressions and rescue breaths," Kellam said.
Kellam said in the whole frenzy of the situation, she left her cellphone inside of her car but managed to flag down a driver who called 911.
"I was praying you know, I was like, 'Lord, just take over,'" she recalled.
When asked why she helped a complete stranger, Kellam replied, "Why wouldn't you? I would hope that if I was in that situation or if my family was in that situation they would do the same for me."
Emergency workers with the Salisbury Fire Department said Kellam's background as a physician's assistant certainly helped. They added that they are using her actions to promote the importance of knowing simple life-saving procedures.
"The earlier somebody can intervene the better," said Salisbury FD Assistant Fire Chief Chris O'Barsky. "If all you do is chest compressions, that's better than doing nothing."
O'Barsky said the victim was taken to a hospital Saturday but as of Tuesday, his condition was unknown.
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