Kimberly Bartimus is a natural-born helper and Debby Rabe is forever grateful.

“That’s why I am in this field,” said Kimberly, a certified nurse assistant and four-year member of the Blessing Hospital staff. “It’s in my blood.”

Debby was headed home with her daughter from a soccer practice on a recent Monday night.  They were on Highway 24 at 8:15 pm.

“We hit two deer, one head-on and one hit the side of my door. All airbags were deployed,” Debby wrote in an email. “By the grace of God, my eight-year-old daughter had zero injuries and was untouched. I had some burns down my arm from the airbags and was very sore.”

It so happens Kimberly was on the same highway at the same time on the way to her home in the Hancock County, Illinois community of West Point after a 12-hour shift at the hospital.

“I looked off to the left and saw a deer,” she recalled. “It kind of popped up and leapt off to the right-hand side where I saw an SUV. Something just told me to stop.”

Debby and her daughter were in the SUV.

“The little girl was shaken up,” Kimberly continued. “I asked her what grade she was in, just to keep her calm. She told me she played soccer. I made sure she put her coat on and stayed warm.

“The lady (Debby) was very shaken up, too. I said, “Ma’am, it’s going to be ok. I am here. I am going to help you as much as I can.”

Debby wanted Blessing to know just how much Kimberly helped so she emailed Nursing Administration.

“She was so kind and caring to my daughter while I was a little bit dazed from the effects of the airbags,” Debby said of Kimberly in the email. “She stayed with us until my husband and emergency personnel were able to get to us.”

“I am so grateful to her for pulling over. She definitely didn’t have to, but she did. I know she had probably worked a long day, and was just trying to get home to her family as well. It is often easy to point out the negatives in this world, so please take this as an opportunity to see and recognize the good people out there. I wanted you and your management team to be aware of what an upstanding citizen you have on your team. You should be very proud,” Debby concluded.

Kimberly is the mother of three and a wife of 22 years. She is also a volunteer with the West Point fire department, just like her late father before her. Doing the right thing comes naturally to this natural-born helper.

“That’s why I am here, to help people,” Kimberly said.