LODI, OH — A 9-year-old girl in Lodi is being praised after she stopped traffic and rushed to help a woman who was badly hurt during a fall on an October morning walk. The woman, Connie Seal, said she had gone farther than usual on her neighborhood route when she stumbled and cracked her kneecap.

Before help arrived, Brayla Neel noticed Seal in distress and acted immediately. Neel said she halted cars and ran over to check on the injured woman, later telling a local outlet that the moment reminded her of a fall her great-grandfather had experienced. Seal called the child’s response a blessing and said she was deeply grateful for the help.

How a morning walk turned into an emergency

Seal said she was out for her morning walk on Oct. 19 when she decided to go farther than she usually does. Her daughter had often warned her to be careful on the neighborhood streets, and Seal said she thought about that advice before heading out.

During the walk, she stumbled over her shoes and fell hard enough to crack her kneecap. The injury left her on the ground and unable to move normally, turning an ordinary neighborhood outing into a situation that required immediate assistance from someone nearby.

Seal later said she remembered seeing a young girl waiting at a bus stop before the accident. That child turned out to be the first person to reach her after the fall, and Seal said the quick response meant a great deal in the moment.

Brayla Neel says she knew she had to act right away

Neel told WEWS that she saw the woman in trouble and decided not to wait for someone else to step in. She said she stopped the cars that were coming through and ran to Seal to make sure she was all right.

The child said her reaction came from thinking about her great-grandfather after he had fallen. That memory pushed her to move quickly and help the injured woman without hesitation. Seal said she thought the young girl’s presence was a blessing.

Neel’s response stood out because it happened before any organized assistance arrived. In a moment that could have been frightening, she focused on the immediate need in front of her and helped keep the area safer until others could get involved.

Police officer Calvin Young says the kindness stood out

More people eventually came to the scene, including Lodi police officer Calvin Young. Young said he initially did not understand what was happening, so he went over to check on the woman and the child.

He found Seal on the ground with Neel standing beside her and talking to her. Young said the scene affected him because it showed a young child taking the initiative to help someone in need.

Young later said the gesture touched his heart and reflected real thoughtfulness. He also said Neel saw someone who needed help and immediately took the chance to do something about it, a reaction he hopes will encourage others to act kindly, too.

The Lodi Police Department honors a first-time recipient

The same day, the Lodi Police Department recognized Neel with a certificate for her quick thinking. Neel said she was excited to receive the honor, especially after being told by police that she was the first person to be given that recognition.

The certificate turned a spontaneous act of kindness into something the department wanted to acknowledge publicly. For Neel, the honor seemed to surprise and delight her, while for the police it was a way to highlight the value of helping others in an emergency.

Young said he hopes the recognition will inspire other people to respond when someone nearby needs assistance. In this case, the department wanted to make sure the child’s actions did not go unnoticed.

Seal faces weeks of recovery and says she remains grateful

Seal said she now needs a walker to get around for the next six to eight weeks as she recovers from the injury. Even with the difficult recovery ahead, she said she remains thankful that Neel was there when she fell.

She later thanked the girl directly, telling her, “Oh, thank you so much again. You’re just really a special little girl.” The exchange underlined how much the child’s help meant to her after the accident.

For Seal, the moment was not only about the injury but also about the kindness shown during a vulnerable time. The fall left her hurt, but the response from a 9-year-old neighbor helped make the incident a story of compassion as well as injury.