Marlena Ericsson, 15, was walking home from Youth Group at the Congregational Church of New Canaan on a Tuesday afternoon in late October when she spotted an elderly woman on Heritage Hill Road.
It had started to rain and “you could tell she wasn’t able to walk,” Ericsson, a New Canaan High School sophomore, recalled during a Fire Commission meeting held Tuesday night at the firehouse.
“She reminded me of my grandma, who is 101,” Ericsson told NewCanaanite.com. “So I kind of wanted to help more than anything else.”
She did.
L-R: New Canaan Fire Capt. John Raidt, firefighter VJ Belletto, firefighter Mike Tiani, firefighter Joe DiIorio, Marlena Ericsson, Lt. Brian Doane, firefighter Harry Russell, Chief Albe Bassett, Fire Marshal Paul Payne at the Dec. 12, 2023 Fire Commission meeting. Credit: Michael Dinan
The teen brought the woman into the nearby firehouse and waited for the Police Department to come and bring her back home safely, according to Fire Chief Albe Bassett.
“Marlena was able to bring her to the firehouse and get her help,” Bassett said while presenting Ericsson with the department’s Community Hero Award. “We’re recognizing that the woman was in a little trouble in the rain, and Marlena had the courage to act and know how to handle a situation.”
Signed by Bassett and Fire Commission Chair Jack Horner, the certificate presented to Ericsson during the meeting noted her “remarkable situational awareness and compassion” on Oct. 29.
Ericsson’s family was in attendance at the meeting.
“And just for everyone to know, Marlena is a strong spirited 15-year-old who stands up as an advocate for everything that she embraces,” Bassett said.
“She’s involved in a lot of positive things in her school,” he added, citing support for a child development center in Kenya and volunteering with Waveny LifeCare Network.
“She plays some sports, including junior varsity field hockey, and she’s in the New Canaan High School Choir,” Bassett said. “She does some babysitting and dog sitting for neighborhood families and she’s looking to pursue criminal justice and become a federal prosecutor.”
Congratulations, Marlena. Well done!
Waveny is fortunate to have such outstanding young people as volunteers.
To paraphrase a Chinese philosopher: ‘one can walk a thousand miles if she takes the first step.’ You are well on your way, Marlena!
Loved reading this and not surprised by Marlena’s kindness and compassion. She was an angel to someone in need!
Congratulations. This is a great example of how we should all do the right thing and help one another. By this young woman getting involved and helping another person in need a tragedy was averted. Well done.
A very impressive young lady!