March 16 was Anaiah Rucker Day in Madison, Georgia. Anaiah, a 9 year old girl risked her own life to save her little sister.

Last month, Anaiah and her sister were rushing through the rain to catch the school bus. As they crossed the street, they could hardly see the cars that were coming through the road. And that was when a large pickup truck came into view. By the time the driver saw them, it was too late to stop. Anaiah saw the truck coming towards them and acted instinctively, as she pushed her little sister out of the way and bore the impact. She suffered a broken neck, a damaged spleen, a lost kidney, and doctors eventually had to amputate her left leg.

While it was tough trauma for young Anaiah, she told WSB News that she did what she did for one reason, ”I thought she was too young. She’s my sister. I love her.”

March 16, Anaiah Rucker Day, was the day she was released from the hospital. On that day, police cars and fire trucks escorted the family back home, and thousands of classmates, teachers, and neighbors lined the streets to greet the little hero.