Maria Pattakos does not remember becoming a hero- only the sound of a loud thump. The baby she saved by pushing a stroller from the path of an oncoming truck will not remember either. But Maria was left with many reminders of her encounter with that ill-fated pick up truck- fractures to her skull, collarbone, hip, ribs, punctured lungs and massive internal bleeding.

Maria’s courage and the loving support of her family transformed the tragedy into an inspiration for anyone facing a similar situation. Her husband, retired Colonel Arion Pattakos, credits NRH with saving his wife’s future and explains, “The patient care team at NRH displayed three important traits – compassion, patience and energy.”

Maria arrived at NRH after five weeks in the ICU, unable to walk, talk or eat. The clinical team at NRH helped Maria gain muscle to walk and rebuild the cognitive skills she needed to communicate. After months of therapy, Maria returned to her home country in Greece. The Maryland House of Delegates passed a special resolution to honor Maria’s heroism in saving the life of a baby at great harm to herself. The resolution also recognized the inspirational way the Pattakos family shared their experiences and motivated others.