LAKE COUNTY — Should a life-threatening emergency occur, it”s Amy to the rescue.
Amy Zingone, 30, was the recipient of a Stars of Lake County award for not one, but two acts of heroism this year.
The crowd thought the award was well-deserved based on the standing ovation she received on May 6 at the annual Stars of Lake County awards held at PSI Seminars in High Valley.
Zingone was recognized for selfless acts of bravery.
On May 20 and again on June 1, she came across solo-vehicle incidents in which people were trapped in vehicles.
Without regard for her own safety, she assisted in freeing a driver in one incident and a passenger in another incident.
Without hesitation she dove into Clear Lake in order to free a driver from a sinking car.
“I hadn”t even stopped the truck completely,” her husband Ralph Zingone said. “She just jumped out to help. She”s so amazing.”
Amy said there were about 10 people at the scene already but no one was in the water.
“I just kind of went into auto pilot,” she said. “I was thinking about how I could get to him.”
The doors were submerged and I looked up and saw the back door. I grabbed it and the weight of the water pushed it back closed.
“As soon as I was able to get the door open and climbed in, it was like a river. I braced myself on the back of the seat and shoved my hand in and undid the button for the seatbelt. As soon as I got him out, I could hear the rush of the air and the car went down. It was crazy,” Amy said.
Amy is a fourth-generation resident of Lake County. She said this type of incident is a reality here.
The victim tried to pay her for saving him, but she simply asked him to “pay it forward.”
The man she pulled from the water went to high school with her grandmother.
In the second incident she and a friend were traveling on Sulphur Bank Drive when they saw a man standing in the middle of the road bleeding and waving his arms. He had rolled his car off of the road.
Amy stopped and he told her that his buddy was still stuck in the car. Amy slid down the muddy hillside and pried the car door open.
She then helped the intoxicated man up the hill. Meanwhile her friend called the police and they arrived on scene and arrested both men on DUI and other charges.
Amy met up with Bill MacDougall at the Stars awards reception. He was Amy”s junior high school principal. He was also her principal at Carl? High School. She and her brother Andy saw MacDougall as a friend, mentor and an understanding person who made them want to go to school. He was supportive to both of them when their father died. Ralph moved to Lake County in 2002 from the Bay Area, where he said he “met the love of his life.” When he first saw Amy, he said he knew she was “the one.” MacDougall performed the wedding for Amy and Ralph.
“We were married Nov. 26 2006. Amy”s birthday is Nov. 25, 1980. My birthday is Nov. 27 1970. We got married right in the middle on Nov. 26. So we are 10 years apart almost to the day. It makes for a big celebration week if Thanksgiving falls in there,” Ralph said.
Their daughter Amelie turned 4 Feb. 29.
“Yes, she is a Leap Year baby. This birthday was her official first birthday. She is the best thing that ever happened to both of us,” Ralph said.
He also said more people should be like his wife, who lives by example.
“It was an honor to receive the award,” Amy said. “Mostly I hope that people will help someone in need when they can.”
Amy received the Local Hero award and MacDougall was the recipient of the Youth Advocate Professional award.
Mandy Feder can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or call her directly at 263-5636 ext. 32.
