T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM Sgt. Kevin Warner of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, center, receives the Life Saving Award for his actions taken early last year when responding to a welfare check of an elderly woman. Also pictured are Wayne County Sheriff Travis Hutchinson, left, and Monroe County Sheriff Charles Black Jr.

WOODSFIELD — The quick actions of Monroe County sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Warner allowed a local family a few precious days of extra time with their mother.

Warner recently received the Life Saving Award for his swift actions during a welfare check early last year.

A routine call to check on a colleague’s elderly mother led to Warner saving the woman’s life on Jan. 9, 2021.

Wayne County Sheriff Travis Hutchinson said he received a call from his son, who alerted him that his mother, 82-year-old Irene Hutchinson, did not seem to be doing well. As a result, Hutchinson, who now lives outside the local area, made a phone call to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to request that an officer check on her. Warner responded to that call.

Upon arriving at the woman’s Woodsfield home, Warner noticed that Irene, who had COVID-19 at the time, did not appear to be in good condition. He immediately called for emergency medical services.

Hutchinson said he was informed by doctors that if Warner would not have gotten his mother to the hospital when he did, she would have died in eight to 12 hours.

Although Warner’s actions saved Irene that day, she died a week later due to kidney and liver failure. However, Hutchinson said he and his family are grateful they were provided the extra time to spend with her that they otherwise would not have had.

“She got to the hospital in time because of Kevin’s prompt recognition of her grave condition, which allowed us to have some time with her. Once she got to the hospital, they were able to get her some IVs and help her recover. .. They brought her back enough that myself and my brothers and sisters were able to at least say goodbye to her before she passed,” Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said his mother also was thankful for Warner, who she called an “angel.”

“I was able to speak to her the next day and she was feeling better. … She wanted me to pass on to the deputy – she didn’t know who it was that actually came to the house because she was pretty sick when Kevin got there – she said he was like an angel that saved her,” he said.

“I just want him (Warner) to know how much we appreciate it and my mom, she certainly appreciated it too.”

Hutchinson recommended Warner to the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Associations for the Life Saving Award for his action in saving the life of his mother. Monroe County Sheriff Charles Black Jr., along with Hutchinson, presented the plaque, certificate and pin to Warner on Monday morning.

Warner said he only did what anyone in law enforcement would have done in the situation.

“I don’t feel I’ve done anything extraordinary. I was just acting in the call of duty. I responded and saw that she was in need of medical attention and got her the attention she needed,” he said.

Hutchinson said welfare checks are an important tool that law enforcement officers take seriously.

“Deputies respond every day to welfare checks, and the person that makes that call for a family member, there’s a reason that they call upon law enforcement — they either haven’t heard from a family member or have talked to them and noticed something odd going on. We respond to these calls not knowing exactly what it is.

“On the receiving end of it, it’s dire straits for them. They don’t know what’s going on, and it means a lot to them. The deputy responds to that call and the response means the world to that family member, and here this time it was for another sheriff who was asking for the help. … Those welfare checks are a high priority to us. We know how important they are,” he said.