SHILLONG: He aspires to join the Indian Army and has a passion for football, Everbloom K Nongrum is a braveheart from Mawryngkneng, Meghalaya who has been chosen for the Bravery Award having saved two young lives last year.
He is the son of Shanskhem Khongbuh and Banrikerlin Nongrum.
The son-mother duo is currently at the national capital and is accompanied by Sordar of Mawryngkneng, Peter J Lawai.
Everbloom is the second child out of three children.
Lawai told The Shillong Times that he saved the children from pits that were dug out at a sub-station in Mawryngkneng which was at least 10 feet and almost filled with water.
Speaking over the phone, the mother of Everbloom, Banrikerlin informed that the incident took place last year where Everbloom (then 10 years old) saved 9-year-old, David Sohtun on July 17 and saved 8 year-old-boy, Wanpynshai Kharbani on July 23.The MeECL was working on a sub-station in Mawryngkneng although it was fenced, there was no gate to man it and children would often go inside itand play not caring about the wide and rather deep pits dug by the workers. Since it was raining heavily back then, the pits were also filled with water.
“A child slipped and fell in a pit dug by the workers. My son was there and he thought that they were playing but on noticing closely, he saw the danger and jumped into the pit and pulled 9-year-old (Sohtun) out”, she said.
Again, on July 23, Everbloom saved Kharbani who was in the same situation as Sohtun but in a different pit. Banrikerlin said that Kharbani jumped into a pit which was filled with water but he could not swim.
“My son was walking from the area and someone cried for help and when he saw that nobody was there to help, he jumped into the pit and saved the boy”, the mother said.
Having saved two children out from the muddy water, Everbloom was hospitalized after the water entered his system. He is currently 11 years old and is studying in class VII at Mawryngkneng Higher Secondary School.
Banrikerlin said that as a mother, she had her fears initially and scolded her children to not be reckless.
“As a mother, I was surprise when this happened but then I slowly started to realize that we should help one another when in trouble. I confronted him but he told me – ‘What if the opposite happens? What if I was in their place?’”, she said.
“I did not know we will come this far because he says that as human beings, we should nurture the quality of helping one another and I concurred but I did not realize that he will bring a name to the village and the family”, she added.
In an age of social media where people are quick to post pictures, she was of the view that people should lend a helping hand when others face danger rather than take to social media and posts them.
“We have to be brave but also be alert and vigilant”, she said.
