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Vermont State Trooper Michelle Archer was lauded for her heroic actions after rescuing an 8-year-old girl who had fallen into an icy pond in Cambridge on December 17.
On that day, Archer was on routine patrol when she received a call about the young girl falling into the pond. Upon arriving at the scene, she observed a pink jacket floating in the water and did not hesitate to act.
“I don’t know if it was instinct or training or a little bit of both. Something kicked in where I just took action. Panic wasn’t really an option at that point,” Archer recalled in an interview with CNN.
The girl had reportedly fallen into the pond while playing with her siblings, and Archer knew that time was of the essence.
The trooper immediately pulled a rope and flotation device from her cruiser and bravely swam through the icy water to the girl, as captured by body camera video released by the Vermont State Police (VSP).
“Once I hit the water, I just knew I had to grab her and pull her out as soon as possible,” Archer recounted.
A second trooper, Keith Cote, arrived at the scene and assisted Archer in bringing the child safely back to shore. The troopers’ actions were critical in ensuring the girl’s survival.
“For Michelle to have carried this young girl with completely saturated clothes in the shape that she was in, as cold as she was, I don’t know if anybody would be able to do that. So, that I was dry and warm — priority of life for the little girl was number one,” Cote said.
The girl, initially believed to have life-threatening injuries, was taken to the hospital and has since made a full recovery.
Archer and Cote, along with the homeowner, who also played a crucial role, have been recommended to receive the VSP’s Lifesaving Award for their selfless and heroic conduct in the face of a life-threatening situation.
Reflecting on the incident, Archer expressed relief upon hearing that the child had no lasting effects of hypothermia or any other medical issues. The trooper and the child have not reunited, but the young girl remains in Archer’s thoughts.
“I’ve thought about it multiple times, everything lined up that day just perfectly. We were in the area. The neighbor, the homeowner, heard the yelling from the pond. A lot of things lined up that day to the outcome we had,” Archer said.
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