She's young girl with a big heart – and big career aspirations – who will put a smile on the face of every NSW paramedic from Tweed Heads down to Albury.
Rhiannon Armstrong, the mother of 10-year-old Elizabeth, recently wrote a heart-warming letter to NSW Ambulance detailing how much her daughter – who was about to celebrate her birthday - admired paramedics and had her eye on one day becoming one of them herself.
At a time when our workforce is being tested like never before, it was a much welcome morale boost to hear of the impact our emergency services workers have had on Elizabeth.
Elizabeth has also been doing it tough, given she can’t see her school friends and her dad, who serves in the military and is currently away from home on work duties.
The letter prompted staff in the South East Sector – including Inspectors Kerrie Simpson, Sally Groves and Darren Hull – to send Elizabeth a goodie bag which included a Bearamedic toy. And the gift has gone down better than expected with its recipient.
“I have slept with him (Bearamedic) every single night – he makes me feel safe,” she said.
“It was really exciting to receive it. It has been a great gift.”
While in lockdown, Elizabeth has been watching plenty of reality TV shows featuring paramedics, which has helped prompt her to want to become one.
“I want to help people feel better and feel happy,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to help people. I wanted to be a nurse and then we started watching paramedic shows and I wanted to become a paramedic.”
And, from viewing the TV shows, it’s not just helping people that has spurred her interest in becoming a paramedic.
“I like how you get to experience and meet new people,” she said.
“You can go on different shifts, and maybe not with the same person.
“I also like that you can get to reflect on what you’ve done at the end of the day.”
Inspector Darren Hull said it was “very positive” to receive the email from Rhiannon on behalf of her daughter.
“There was a positive vibe it gave us,” he said.
“It was the sort of email that came through on a Friday afternoon, and I thought, we need to do something here and give her a little bit of hope.”