By Jessica Easthope
Janet Miranda thanks God she’s alive, but second she’s thanking her heroes. Christian Fiorillo and Colin Winn, eighth graders at St. Gregory the Great in Bellerose.
Back on October 29, the boys were walking behind Janet when she tripped and fell face-first onto the sidewalk. She broke her nose in several places, tore her shoulder and hurt her knee.
“The sidewalk was raised maybe an inch, but I was bleeding profusely, and I didn’t see any people around on the street, which is kind of terrifying. And I don’t know where these two kids come up behind me. They just took over,” she said.
Christian and Colin swiftly called 9-1-1 and Janet’s daughter and raced around the street to Jason’s Deli to get napkins to help stop the bleeding.
“Instinct kicked in and we were going to help,” said Colin.
“And they stayed with me the whole time,” Janet said. “They really were amazing.”
On Tuesday, the two students were given a New York State Assembly citation for their bravery and kindness.
“It feels nice, but it feels more nice knowing that we did the right thing,” said Christian.
After her fall, Janet, who sent her daughter and granddaughters to St. Gregory the Great sent principal Joseph Paniccia an email.
“From what we hear in the area we were like okay two boys, what happened and it was this lovely email,” he said.
“In a Catholic school they are not only learning, the basics. They’re learning a moral code,” said Janet.
“I put the skills that I’ve gained from being here, and I just I took it into real life situation,” said Colin.
“Do the right thing. Even if you don’t know how,” Christian said.
Janet is hoping with some more physical therapy she’ll be as good as new. As for her heroes Christian and Colin, they say what matters most is she’s okay, but they might frame their new citations anyway.