Long Island girl with autism receives honor - saved uncle

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Long Island girl with autism stepped up in a big way when she saw her uncle fall unconscious. The girl was honored Monday for her bravery.

“Thank you so much. God bless you. You did a great job and we are so proud of you,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Blakeman presented a special honor for the fast-acting little girl, 7-year-old Gabriella Smith. Gabriella, who has autism, is being hailed a hero for helping to save her uncle.

Gabriella was with her uncle at Memorial Park in East Rockaway when he fell unconscious. The second-grader sprang into action, grabbing his phone to call her father for help.

“I really want to thank Bruce and his staff for putting this together and making her feel better with the traumatic situation she went through. But she had a very quick response. Her uncle was lucky she did what she did at the time,” said Gabriella’s father, Kenny Smith.

Gabriella was awarded a Nassau County citation and a stuffed lion for her act of bravery during a special ceremony marking Autism Awareness Month.