by Deb Spalding

Jenna Seiss of Graceham and Patrick Van Der Cruyssen of Cascade, lifeguards at Cunningham Falls State Park William Houck Lake Area in Thurmont, took part in the lifesaving efforts that revived a five-year-old girl who had stopped breathing after she was under water too long in the lake on July 15, 2016, around 4:00 p.m.

Seiss and Van Der Cruyssen, both 2015 graduates of Catoctin High School, were two of several who were recognized on August 25, 2016, by Frederick County Executive Jan H. Gardner and Maryland Park Service Assistant Superintendent, Lt. Col. Chris Bushman. They were presented with the Maryland Park Service Valor Award.

Mohammd Al-Haris, a former lifeguard and happenstance visitor that day, pulled the unconscious girl from the water, and Heidi Sequeira, a nurse practitioner and another happenstance visitor at the park, performed CPR on the girl, along with Seiss and Van Der Cruyssen, when it was determined that she was not breathing and her heart was not beating.

Due to the diligent efforts of this team, the girl was conscious when emergency responders arrived.

Both of these locals are in their second year of college. After this incident, Seiss transferred from Butler University’s Physician Assistant Program in Indiana to Frederick Community College while she regroups in order to attend medical school to become a trauma doctor. Van Der Cruyssen is studying psychology while attending High Point University. Congratulations, Jenna and Patrick!

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