Shavonne Smith, a nurse at the Montgomery VA Hospital, was off duty, out of state and waiting in a hotel lobby in Knoxville. She was there for a conference, and the plan was simple: wait for the shuttle, head to the convention center and start the day.

Then someone called for help.

Shavonne heard cries from the women’s bathroom and rushed with others to see what was going on. “We looked under a locked stall and saw a person lying on the floor, blue in the face and arms,” Shavonne said.

One of the others who rushed in broke the lock on the stall door. As they pulled the woman into a more open space and turned her over, they saw she was having trouble breathing. They called 911 while Shavonne monitored the woman’s breathing and worked to help sustain her until help arrived.

When emergency responders got there, they gave her oxygen and medication. The woman regained consciousness and began breathing on her own.

She survived.

That quick action is why the American Red Cross of Alabama recently recognized Shavonne for her actions during a ceremony at the Montgomery VA Hospital.

“I was not expecting it at all,” Shavonne said. “I was tricked and told I was coming to an award ceremony for one of my coworkers. And, of course, I was going to be here to support.”

Then her own name was called.

Shavonne received the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action, an award given to people who step forward during an emergency and help save or sustain a life.

“I’m just grateful I was there in that moment, along with others who were willing and able to help,” she said.

For Shavonne, it also came back to training.

“It’s an honor to be able to take all of the training that you focus on at work and put it to use when not in a work setting.”

She hopes others remember that too.

“You never know when you will have to be called upon to use some training that you have. Don’t take those opportunities for granted, because you never know when you’ll need to use them.”