Narrawallee’s Lisa Elmas has been recognised for her heroic efforts at the scene of the tragic Boxing Day crash and awarded the Pride of Australia medal.
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Lisa was one of 16 NSW residents presented with the medal during a ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday, February 27 by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
“I’m humbled and I’m honoured,” she said.
“I guess it still hasn’t really sunk in.
“It’s bitter sweet with what happened, but I spoke to the girls’ family when I found out and they said I should do it.
“They said it’d be great for my kids to see me get. They saw me down when it all happened. So it’s nice for them to see that even though I was sad and it was hard – I did something good.”
The 44-year-old suffered in aftermath of the accident and said the crash will always stay with her.
“This will take me quite sometime to come to terms with,” she said.
“To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever get over it.”
While Lisa is honoured to receive the medal, she said there are many people who should be commended.
“I think there are a lot of people who deserve recognition like the police, firies and ambos too,” she said.
“They see this stuff everyday and even though they are trained it’s still hard for them to deal with. It’s sad.”
The mother of three was one of the first people on the scene of a head-on collision which claimed the lives of the Falkholt family from Ryde and Ulladulla’s Craig Whitall.
Lisa was only minutes behind Whitall’s Toyota Prado as she drove south toward her home on the morning of December 26.
As she rounded the Princes Highway at Mondayong, just north of the Bendalong turnoff, she encountered the horrific accident.
Whitall had veered onto the wrong side of the Princes Highway and collided with a car carrying the family of four.
READ MORE: Root cause of tragedy may never be known
Lisa pulled her car to the side of the road, stopped traffic and went into action while others watched on in shock. Some, Lisa said, stood back and videoed the unfolding horror.
Lisa, who has no formal first-aid training, relied on skills learnt in her time with the Army Reserves and the haphazard medical supplies from passing cars to assist while emergency services made their way through queues of traffic.
She rallied bystanders to help including an off duty paramedic Darrin Collier ,who was also recognised with a medal, and his wife visiting from Queensland to coordinate the civilian rescue.
Lisa doused the flaming wreckage with fire extinguishers, before pulling the Falkholt sisters Annabelle, 21, and Jessica, 28, from the wreckage.
Sadly, both women passed away from injuries sustained in the crash.
Lars Falkholt, 69, wife Vivian, 60, and Whitall died at the scene.
The Pride of Australia Medal celebrates and recognises everyday Australian’s who do outstanding things.
This year marks the 13th annual a awards which were inspired by the Liberty Medal established in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
