Ms. Alison Sosebee, District Attorney of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit has announced the recipient of the 1st Annual Hero Award. This year’s award was presented to East Ellijay Chief of Police Mr. Larry Callahan, who unsuspectingly thought he was attending a Task Force Meeting last Friday, November 22nd. Family members shared with us how Mr. Callahan was somewhat curious as to the planning thoughts of calling a meeting at 3pm on a Friday afternoon. You could see the expression of shock on his face as he entered a crowded room – Jury Assembly Room in Gilmer county Courthouse and his first words as he stopped and looked at Sosebee, were, “What’s going on here?” She quickly explained and he looked around in amazement at a room filled with family, friends, and co-workers, and most importantly the men from Fannin County Fire and Rescue, responsible for his rescue that fateful day back in August of this year. (See previous story with Video Below)

https://gilmer.fetchyournews.com/archives/4360-East-Ellijay-Chief-of-Police-Larry-Callahan-Recalls-Dangerous-Situation.html

Ryan Mcdaris, Eddie Hopkins, DA Sosebee, Chief Callahan, Kevin Dover

Sosebee also spoke about the courage of the rescue team from Fannin County Fire Department consisting of Ryan McDaris, Eddie Hopkins, and Kevin Dover. Larry Thomas, Fire Chief in Fannin County was in attendance at the ceremony as well. Ms. Sosebee had talked with Callahan at the time of the incident and he had told her he would like to have the boat that was used in his rescue, “Just to sit in and watch TV” said Callahan. Immediately Sosebee went to see Larry Thomas and explained what she wanted, just as fate would have it the boat was decommissioned. Flash forward to today and the boat was presented to Mr. Callahan as a commemorative part of the award and to show appreciation for the selflessness shown back in August of this year when he risked his life in the line of duty.

Our community has a fine team of First Responders in all areas of service and especially at this time of year everyone at FetchYourNews.com would like to take this opportunity to say, “Thank You!!!.” As Ms. Sosebee put it, “I think a lot of the times we tend to take for granted that they put their lives in harm’s way every single day so that we can be safe.”