Pittsburgh, PA (11/19/08) – For Ms. Balog, Spanish teacher at the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, today started like every other day. She arrived at work fifteen minutes early because of the snow. Little did she know that those fifteen minutes would cause her to make a call that would save one of her students from a life-threatening situation.
Balog, still amazed when recalling the incident, expressed that it was early in the morning, 7:16 am, when she received an urgent message from one of her 10th grade students, Ariel Rivera, who lives across the state in Reading. The message read, “OMG! HELP MeE@ PLEAE TWO PPL BOKE INO MY HOUSSE! I'M SCARED!"... "I CAN'T GET TO THE PHONE! CALL THE PLICE!! PLEASE PLEASE I'M SCARED!!”
Balog, although fearful for Rivera and her family’s safety, kept her wits about her. Rivera frantically instant messaged her teacher again, saying, "PLEAS EOMG I THINK I'M GONNA DIE!" Balog immediately sprang into action. She reassured Rivera, "I am calling 911. Stay on the line with me..." as her call was transferred from Pittsburgh to the Reading Police Department.
Balog explained, “It was scary, because even though I knew I was doing everything I could, there was a lapse in time from when I called 911 to when Ariel came back online to tell me everything was okay. I was worried that they may have found their way to her bedroom before the police arrived."
Balog, whose assistance was rendered from Pittsburgh, elaborates, "It is kind of crazy how I am on the other side of state, but I was the first to respond. It's amazing how we are all so connected through technology."
Rivera was home sleeping, her parents at work, when the robbers broke in. Rivera’s mother explained, "She was half-awake, half-asleep, and she could hear people moving things in the living room. She thought it was strange because she heard the chandeliers downstairs and then the dog started barking." Rivera later explained to Balog, "I was locked up in my room and they were out there, and I was too afraid to get out to reach the phone. Luckily, the computer was in my room so I thought that I'd find whoever is online to help me." Mrs. Rivera was grateful, but not surprised that sixteen year-old Rivera had the foresight to try to find help on the computer. "She is a very smart girl."
Thanks to Balog’s call, the police were dispatched in time to cause the three offenders to leave the scene before they reached Rivera's room. According to the police, it is believed that there were two men inside and one outside as a look-out.
Mrs. Rivera was eager to express her appreciation to Ms. Balog for her life-saving phone call. “All I could think about was Ariel. I don't care about the stuff in the house. I have thanked God every second of today that Ariel is okay.”
