Local Girl Scout Receives National Lifesaving Award
Award to be presented on June 26, 2024 at Camp Silver Brook
MILWAUKEE – (June 21, 2024) – Today, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE) announced that Girl Scout Junior Aspyn Osse of Milwaukee County will receive the Girl Scouts of the USA National Lifesaving Medal of Honor Award in recognition of her heroic bravery in saving her grandmother’s life during a medical emergency. During any given year, no more than 40 Girl Scouts nationwide – out of more than 1.1 million members– receive this prestigious award for their acts of bravery and leadership. Aspyn will be recognized during a special ceremony with Girl Scouts at Camp Silver Brook (2561 W Decorah Road, West Bend, WI 53095) on Wednesday, June 26 at 3:15 p.m.
In April 2024, Aspyn noticed that her grandmother was drooling, sweating, profusely, slurring her words, and slumping in her seat at the kitchen table after the two sat down for a snack. Aspyn sprang into action – grabbing ice packs and placing them on her grandmother to cool her down. When her grandmother stopped responding, Aspyn continued to take action and called her mother, who called 911 and instructed her to alert her grandfather. Aspyn stayed on the phone and provided live updates to the 911 dispatchers through her mother, while simultaneously trying to wake her grandmother and keep her panicking grandfather calm. When paramedics arrived, Aspyn guided them herself through the house to her grandmother. She stayed at the hospital until her grandmother was released. Aspyn’s quick action and calm bravery in the face of an emergency saved her grandmother from entering septic shock and organ failure while she dealt with severe dehydration and low blood pressure.
“As her mom, I could not be prouder of her for saving her grandma’s life. As her Girl Scout leader, I couldn’t be prouder of her for using all of the lifesaving skills we have talked about for years, such as knowing the address of where you are, your phone number, and how to get help, along with basic first aid like trying to cool off a person who is too hot and warm up a person who is too cold with extra blankets,” said Rebecca Osse, Aspyn’s mother and Girl Scout troop leader. “She is a truly remarkable young Girl Scout who kept calm. We learned that in a fight or flight situation, she is definitely a fighter.”
“Earning the Medal of Honor is a testament to the highest principles of the Girl Scout Promise and Law – to be resourceful and skilled and to be in service to others,” said Ana Simpson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. “We could not be prouder of Aspyn’s courage, confidence, and character in the face of danger.”
Lifesaving Awards have been part of Girl Scouts since the organization began in the United States in 1912. These awards recognize Girl Scouts from 5-17 years of age who have heroically saved or attempted to save a life, demonstrating skills and judgement beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected at their age. There are two Lifesaving Awards – the Lifesaving Bronze Cross is given for saving a life or attempting to save a life with risk to the candidate’s own life, and the Lifesaving Medal of Honor is given for saving a life or attempting to save a life without risk to the candidate’s own life.
In the last 25 years, Girl Scouts of the USA has only given the Lifesaving Medal of Honor to about 500 Girl Scouts nationwide. The last time a Girl Scout in southeastern Wisconsin received this award was in 2020.
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About Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE)
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. We serve approximately 11,700 girls in grades K5-12 and 5,800 adults who believe in our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. With programs in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties, we give every Girl Scout in our council the chance to reach their full leadership potential. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit gswise.org, email customercare@gswise.org, or call 800-565-4475.
