Meadowbrook student honored for heroics

Luke Rosenthal, 8, a Meadowbrook Elementary School third grader, was the first child ever presented with the Town of Hempstead’s Distinguished Service Pin for his heroic response to helping his neighbor, Grace Muller, in October. He’s pictured with his brothers Alex and Jake, third and fourth from left, Supervisor Kate Murray, mother Margaret, and from far right, Muller, and his father Jeff.

Town of Hempstead

When 8-year-old Luke Rosenthal saw his neighbor in distress, he did not hesitate. Rather, he reacted just how his father, an East Meadow firefighter, would have.

It was early October, and Luke was playing in a tree house in the backyard of his Levittown home when he heard cries from his elderly neighbor, Grace Muller, and saw she was being attacked by dozens of yellow jackets.

Luke, a third grade student at Meadowbrook Elementary School and the son of Lieutenant Jeff Rosenthal, a six-year member of the EMFD, put on a protective vest his father had fashioned for him, and sprung into action. He swatted away the bees, removed Muller from harm, and summoned another neighbor to call the East Meadow Fire Department. Muller was transported to a local hospital, sustaining several bites and a broken wrist, but said it could have been a lot worse if Luke wasn’t around.

On Dec. 1, Luke was honored by both the Town of Hempstead and the East Meadow Fire Department before the department’s board of commissioners meeting at their fire headquarters on East Meadow Avenue.

Chief Robert Salveson, in front of nearly one hundred residents and firefighters, detailed Luke’s heroics, before presenting him with a civilian recognition award. “He definitely did the right thing,” Salveson said. “Your actions are an example for all of us.”

Town Supervisor Kate Murray presented Luke with the Distinguished Service Pin, a rare award she said is usually bestowed to police officers, firefighters and EMTs, adding that Luke was the first ever child recipient. “If it were not for the heroic actions of young Luke, who knows what have occurred to Grace,” Murray said. “I have a feeling we’re looking at a future first responder.”

Jeff attributed his son’s ability to keep cool under pressure to his constant presence inside the East Meadow Fire Department.

Luke said he was a little nervous when responding to the emergency, but said that he just wanted to help. “It’s an honor,” he said when asked how he felt on being rewarded by the Town of Hempstead. “I feel great about it.”

Jeff and his wife, Margaret, are registered nurses, and have two other sons: Alex, a Clarke High School student, and Jake, a student at Clarke Middle Student school. “We didn’t expect this much attention,” said Jeff, “I’m very proud of him.”