9-year-old Waltham girl honored for saving lives in machete attack
WALTHAM - When nine-year-old Karen grows up, she wants to be a Waltham police officer. "It makes me happy to be like a police officer and help other people," she told WBZ.
That career dream was strengthened when she experienced a frightening situation back on July 14. Karen's father was being attacked by neighbors with a machete after a fight that started over a car accident. As Karen's pregnant mother went to help him, the brave girl called 911.
"I was so scared," she said.
Karen's family doesn't speak English, but the young girl is bilingual thanks to her learning English at school. She calmly told the dispatcher what was happening, and officers were on the scene within minutes.
"It's definitely hard to see that she was put in such a tough situation, but I think she handled it very well," said Officer Kelly O'Dowd, who responded to the scene. "She's very mature for her age and she did something very incredible that day, and she saved a very important life."
O'Dowd speaks Spanish, too, and was able to calmly communicate with Karen's help between her family and officers. That skill is one Karen knows will help her when she becomes a police officer one day. "Some people speak Spanish, some people speak English, and I know how to speak Spanish and English," Karen said.
Waltham Police Chief Kevin O'Connell honored Karen with a chief's coin, a new award he started this year for community heroes. Karen is only the third person - and the first civilian - to receive the award.
"I was feeling happy because I was going to come and see the chief again, and I was really excited to see him again," Karen told WBZ.
She has a message for other kids who might be put in a scary situation like hers: "When you call 911, I know you are going to be scared, but if you win the gift that I win, I will be so happy."