PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A cry for help inspired the good-hearted nature of JerryLee Murphy-Wiles to find who was in need. A second call came as he waited at a Pekin bus stop on August 8.
“I heard a lady yell for help, help, like four times in a row and I was looking, and I didn’t see [anything],” said JerryLee Murphy-Wiles.
Once he found the fallen woman, he said he quickly called 911.
“I just do it for kindness out of my heart,” said Murphy-Wiles. “I don’t expect nothing to come out of it. I just do it because it’s in my blood.”
He said it was the right place, right time kind of a deal. He also said, “God sent me that way and my grandpa told me ahead of time that someone might need help. In my mind, my saying is, ‘if you help someone, they may help you back.'”
His heroic actions lead to the woman receiving medical care, and Murphy-Wiles was awarded a certificate and coin for being a community hero.
For the month of April, WMBD is partnering with the Red Cross to highlight heroes. On Heroes day, April 29, four local heroes will be recognized through a virtual ceremony.
Through this submission form, you can nominate someone you know to be our next CI Hero.
Link to Give: 1-855-411-GIVE(4483)
Link to Donate: www.redcross.org/WMBDRedCrossHeroes
To donate blood/ become a volunteer: visit redcross.org
2021 Virtual Heroes Event- Honoring Heroes in an Extraordinary Time, Thursday, April 29
9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Please join the Illinois Red Cross for the region’s signature event, as it honors 24 community heroes from across the region. Attendance is free and encouraged! Learn more and register here by April 19th: https://heroes.redcross.us/s/2021-Heroes-Virtual-Event/home
About the American Red Cross of Illinois
The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossIL.
