U.S. Army Sgt. Mary Ehiarinmwian’s actions in 2019 are the perfect example of how our nation’s service members are ready to put themselves at risk to save others at a moment’s notice, even in everyday circumstances.
Ehiarinmwian, originally from Nigeria, grew up in Germany and later immigrated to the United States. She then decided to enlist in the U.S. Army to “do something meaningful” for the country that was now her home. Then, in 2019, the Army supply sergeant was on her way to PT at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Suddenly, the car ahead of her collided with a road sign, flipped through the air, and pierced the top of the base’s security gate, almost impaling the driver.
Ehiarinmwian immediately jumped out of her car and rushed toward the crashed vehicle. As she was assessing the driver’s injuries and mental state, black smoke began to billow out from under the car’s hood and Ehiarinmwian realized she was in a race against the clock until the car caught on fire or exploded. Ehiarinmwian pulled the injured driver out of the smoking vehicle to a place of safety. When first responders arrived at the scene, Ehiarinmwian went to train at PT, carrying on with her day, as per usual. As she later explained, there is no “off-duty” for service members – they are trained to always run toward danger, whether that be on the battlefield or on your way to the gym. Ehiarinmwian selflessly placed herself in harm’s way to save the life of another. In recognition of her bravery, Ehiarinmwian was recognized as the USO Soldier of the Year in 2020, an annual award given to a member of each branch for distinguished actions either in combat or a peacetime setting.
