Hometown hero

LINCOLN - A Randolph native’s example of selfless service and unhesitating decisive actions in response to a 2019 fatal vehicle crash earned her the first Nebraska National Guard Heroism Medal.

Brandi Sullivan, a 2010 graduate of Randolph High School, received the award at a ceremony last month. She’s the daughter of Gene and Jo Sullivan, Randolph.

She was recognized for her exceptional heroism on May 18, 2019, when she provided critical first aid to multiple victims involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident during a thunderstorm along Interstate 80 near Gretna.

Sullivan was still wearing her guard uniform on a normal drive after drill to her Omaha home.

When she witnessed the car in front of her lose control and strike another car, Sullivan reacted immediately and without thinking. After hearing screams, she knew it was up to her to bring calm and take on the responsibility of helping everyone in the situation.

“You have to be able to look past all of the distractors and focus on finding the dire issue at hand and bring calmness in focusing your reaction,” she said. “Reacting and trusting your thinking to not distract you but to help guide you along the way has always been key to what leaders before me have instilled in my mindset.”

While her military training kicked in at the moment, Sullivan said she was also raised to always do the right thing.

“I think Nebraskans are viewed as being helpful and nice, and in reality I think it stems from a deeper sense of what would I need from someone else if this happened to me. And then doing just that,” she said, recognizing she wasn’t alone in responding to the crash. “There were numerous civilians that day who reacted in the same manner, seeing people in need, and reacting in any way possible to help.”

During the award ceremony, Gov. Jim Pillen and Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska’s adjutant general, presented the medal and Sullivan’s friends and family were on hand to witness the special occasion.

“We actually have a military-based family so I think it was really good for them to be there,” Sullivan said. “I know that they’re pretty proud.”

Out of seven children in the Sullivan household, five serve or have served in the military Nick, formerly with the Navy; Casey and Britni, both currently serving with the Utah National Guard; and Shawn and Brandi with the Nebraska National Guard.

The new medal was created to recognize acts of heroism including civilian workers supporting the Nebraska military.

“Many acts of heroism are recognized by our military during periods of active service, for instance, times of war or military engagements where the recipient’s own life was at risk,” Pillen said. “This award also acknowledges extraordinary acts - those that occur in everyday life and are equally deserving of recognition.”

Thirty-one-year-old Sullivan remains humble and acknowledges all of the other people who responded to the accident scene that day.

“It feels really good just to see the overall recognition,” she said. “I’m definitely not the first person who has done something like this in the Nebraska National Guard. I think it really shows the importance of how we’re all in this together - it should be human nature to help everyone and to recognize when people look out for their fellow citizens.”