Heroism in West Hempstead

Issue of August 8, 2008

A West Hempstead man, Moshe Hill, was honored Tuesday as a hero by Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray for saving a woman’s life.

Hill, 22, was leaving Roosevelt Field Mall on July 11 when a woman he had just collided with in a car accident suffered a seizure. He quickly called 911 and assisted the woman until emergency medical technicians arrived.

Hill was stopped at a red light when the woman crashed into his car. The two pulled into a parking lot to exchange information for an accident report when he suddenly heard strange noises and realized she was in need of medical attention.

“She was on the ground, half out of her car, shaking,” Hill recounted. “I pulled her out and turned her over to make sure she was breathing.”

He then called 911 and sent for an ambulance. While awaiting the EMTs he took directions over the phone to care for the woman. “At first I was very scared, because I had not seen anything like it,” he said.

Hill, who has no prior medical training, waited until the ambulance arrived to ensure that the woman was okay.

Though the woman has a history of seizures, it is unknown if the accident was caused by the oncoming seizure.

Hill received an award for his heroic efforts at Hempstead Town Hall on Tuesday.

“I didn’t think I did anything that great,” he admitted. “All I did was pull her out of the car and call 911. I was very surprised when they called [to inform me of the award].”