ROBERT Callaghan will never forget seeing the life returning to the little girl he saved almost two years ago when he pulled her from a house ablaze in Kelso.
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Today Mr Callaghan will be awarded a Group Bravery Citation by Governor General Quentin Bryce for his role in a remarkable rescue, along with Michael Wylie of Windsor, who is also being recognised.
Ms Bryce said the Australian honours system represents the highest level of recognition for outstanding achievement and service in national life.
“We are privileged to have such role models in our society,” she said.
Ms Bryce said that on July 22, 2012, as several family members of a house in Greville Place were asleep, a fire began in the lounge room. When the family of nine gathered outside they realised two children remained inside the burning house.
Mr Callaghan was at the home of his partner Brooke Beale when the fire broke out. He said the role Ms Beale played in saving the life of the two children was just as great as his.
He seems perplexed about receiving the citation, saying rescuing the little girl was just something he did because that is what you do in that situation.
“I’ve never thought I was a hero,” he said.
Mr Callaghan said he and Ms Beale saw the house was on fire and “bolted across the road”. There was a group of people standing around and someone said there were a couple of kids still inside. One was about four, the other little more than a baby.
He said he saw a chair up against the wall of the house, put it up to a rear window and climbed in.
The smoke was as thick as pea soup and he couldn’t see anything so he felt around, then pulled a sheet on the bed closer, all the time holding his breath.
“I felt a leg and pulled but I couldn’t get her through the window so I dropped her and pulled the bed over,” Mr Callaghan said.
“She was covered in soot and not breathing. There were little bubbles at her mouth and her eyes had rolled back in her head. I thought she was dead.
“I grabbed her and ran down the driveway to some clear ground and started CPR.
“I breathed into her mouth and tasted smoke. Then I did some heart massage.
“I looked into her eyes and I saw the life come back into them,” he said, his voice cracking.
A second child had been pulled out by some Austar workers and they and Ms Beale were performing CPR on her in the next driveway.
Mr Callaghan continues to be haunted by the memory.
“I still feel it today,” he said.
But he sees his reward.
“The kids in that family go to the same school as my kids. It’s nice to see them around.”
