Pride of NZ: Lifesaver not your typical teenager

Pride of NZ nominee Liam Connolly (left) with his St John Ambulance mentor, Peter Corry.

Liam Connolly
Emergency Services

Wellsford teenager Liam Connolly once saved a man's life before heading off for an otherwise normal school day.

The man, who collapsed at a Caltex station, was undergoing cardiac arrest.

Mr Connolly and another volunteer firefighter were called to the scene and saved his life.

The 19-year-old has been a member of the fire service for three years, and St John Ambulance for one, and is considered a young leader and hero by many.

Not only was he Rodney College head boy in 2013, but he also managed his school rugby team and coached netball.

Mr Connolly has been nominated for a Pride of New Zealand Award, in the emergency services category, for his dedication to both the fire service and St John.

"Liam is an unsung hero and an amazing young man that children and parents in our community look up to as a role model," his nominator said. "He is definitely one in a million."

Mr Connolly is the third generation of firefighters in his family - his grandfather and father both joined the service at 16 years old. His brother is a firefighter too.

Mr Connolly cites his parents, and the childhood experience they gave him, as being his primary motivator in wanting to give back to the community.

But his role is not without its challenges. At 16 he was called to a car fire which he discovered was also a suicide.

"Every time I go to a car fire, that's probably the most challenging thing because I don't know whether I'm going to find another body in the car.

"I was quite young to see something as horrific as that, but it's made me a stronger person.

"It's made me understand that people die and people live," he said.

His father and brother were "always beside him" and the Fire Service was like a family, he added.

Mr Connolly got eight schoolmates to join the Fire Service while he was at school.

"I've had quite a few parents come up to me and tell me I'm a great role model for their child," he said.

In 2013, he was awarded two Auckland Airport Tamaki Makaurau youth awards for his contribution to the service.

"It takes a positive attitude and extra chunk of enthusiasm" to be a good leader, he said.

Mr Connolly will remain working in a voluntary capacity only, for both services, to ensure he remains "passionate for the community".

"Liam is a young man with a heart of gold and is always trying to make everyone feel special," his nominator said.

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Nominations for the 2015 awards have now closed.
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For more information on the awards go to the official website.