Reluctant heroes

By Shaun Inguanzo
A DANDENONG North woman who rushed to the aid of a four-month-old baby in a horrific four-car collision in September has received an award for her heroism.
The battlefield-like scene of cars and injured people along Police Road, Springvale, following a major collision in September still lingers with Laureen Hall and her husband Alan.
The Halls were driving home on Wednesday 20 September at 7.20pm and decided to take Police Road instead of their usual route home.
“It was dusk and it was hard to see ahead but we realised there had been an accident,” Mrs Hall said.
“Cars were turning around all over the place, racing back the other way.
“I said to my husband that we had better stop and help.”
Mr Hall, 61, a former federal police officer, soldier and paramedic, and Mrs Hall, 60, who had first aid experience with Brownies and Girl Guides, took control of the accident scene.
“I found it hard to take it in,” Mrs Hall said.
“My husband went straight over to a man on the ground to see what he could do to help him and I parked the car properly and put the hazard lights on.”
Mrs Hall saw a car lying on its side and immediately went to inspect it.
She met 14-year-old Mulgrave boy Matt Vongsykeo, who had pulled a baby from the wreck and handed it to another helper.
Mrs Hall found the baby with a bystander, screaming.
“Being a mother and grandmother, I thought poor child, so I ran to the car to see what I had to wrap it up in, because it was in shock.”
Mrs Hall found a towel and handed the baby to a young girl to mind.
She discovered another two cars were involved when more injured people approached her seeking help.
Mrs Hall referred them to paramedics and then returned to the welfare of the baby, even travelling to hospital with it.
The new-formed bond appeared to be mutual as the whimpering child immediately took to Mrs Hall.
“He was holding on to my finger … he was holding it so tight,” she said endearingly.
The Halls reunited at home at 1am and the next morning awoke to news that the mother of the baby – who was driving the overturned car – died later in hospital.
“I just burst into tears, it was really quite emotional,” Mrs Hall said.
Mrs Hall said she was grateful to receive a 2006 Community Hero Award selected from more than 70 nominations by emergency services staff, but did not feel like a hero.
“I feel Matt was the hero, not me,” she said.
“Over the years we have come across accidents and have always stopped to try to assist where we could.
“Heaven forbid if you are in an accident – you’d like people to stop and help.”
Matt Vongsykeo was awarded the same honour in last Thursday’s ceremony for his role in retrieving the baby from the overturned car.