11 Year Old Girl Stays Calm And Saves Her Family

11 year old Mandy Eggleston was watching TV in Oklahoma City on a clear night when a lightening strike hit her house. Dry thunderstorms are pretty common west of the Mississippi and are the leading cause of wildfires.

In this instance the house was set on fire and quickly filling with smoke. Mandy ran to wake her sleeping mother, Jamie, and her 6 year old brother, Ryan.

Her mom had a broken ankle so she was going to need some help! “Mom was a big struggle,” Mandy told KFOR. “When I got to the door, the door was locked. And it seemed like the deadbolt was stuck and we never use that door so I was trying to remain calm while fighting with the thing to get it open.”

Mandy says "I guess I just switched into adult mode" and knew I had to take charge since mom was hurt. Once she got them out on the lawn she called 911. Later at the hospital she handled all the phone calls and texts to her mom from concerned friends and family while mom was being treated.

Oklahoma City Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Lindsay commended the tween’s quick and mature actions. “What Mandy did is an amazing thing. We've seen lots of adults crumble under the pressure of an emergency but Mandy took charge got everybody out, and saved their lives in an extreme pressure situation. I would say another 60 to 90 seconds and no one was getting out”

Mandy's dad Kevin was away on business said “If I was home, at that time, I probably would’ve been in the shower so that lightening strike would’ve killed me. I am so proud of my daughter. This is something she did that saved my entire family.