MHS students honored for life-saving actions at BOE meeting

Four Marietta High School seniors were honored for their heroism for assisting a motorcyclist last week during the monthly Marietta City Schools Board of Education meeting Monday evening.

Fire and Emergency Services instructor Gwynette Mayer said the accident with the motorcyclist occurred as school was letting out at the intersection of Davis Avenue and Muskingum Drive.

"Some of our students were involved in the crash, through no fault of their own. So you have a whole line of vehicles and you have a motorcyclist down," she said.

Mayer said she has six Emergency Medical Technician students this year. One of them was on the school bus, one was assisting a younger student riding with her. Four students -- Zoe Riley, Chrissy Kerenyi, Kevin Ritchie, and Jerry Bellville -- rushed to assist the motorcyclist.

"The other four didn't think twice. They ran to help," Mayer said. "These teenagers, these seniors in high school, ran to the motorcyclist down and they saved his life. They performed intervention to stabilize him while they waited on Marietta Fire Department to get there."

Mayer said she received numerous messages from the community commending the students' actions, including Marietta Fire Chief C.W. Durham. Mayer said the students participated in patient care until the motorcyclist was put into the back of the ambulance.

"That speaks volumes for the confidence that they have and the competence that they have and the leadership skills they showed that day," she said.

Mayer had Kerenyi, Riley, Ritchie, and Bellville stand individually and be acknowledged.

Superintendent Brad Silvus said the presentation was a surprise to the board.

"It's typically not something a superintendent wants to do," he said. "But I told them, I promise you, it's a great surprise."

Silvus also addressed the students: "I can't even tell you how proud I am of your guys reaction. I couldn't get down there because traffic was so backed up."

Mayer also surprised her students with the news that the Tiger Fire and Emergency Services classes had received a donated fire engine from a Devola resident for class use.

The fire engine is a 1987 E-1 model that belonged to Devola resident Mark Fulton. Mayer said she initially thought Fulton would let her class borrow the vehicle until they met in person this weekend.

"He said, 'tell me about your program,' so I did. He said, 'tell me what your ultimate goals are,' so I did. He said, 'if this truck is what you want, you can have it,'" Mayer said.

She said she would talk to Darrell Prim, facilities and transportation manager, to finalize ownership of the vehicle.