PHOENIX – A Globe teen who saved his family from deadly floods in their town last month received a special honor at the Phoenix Rising match on Oct. 18.
What we know:
It was a special night for the Mellema family, as 15-year-old Tim Mellema was honored at the match because of his quick thinking and selflessness in the face of danger during the flash flooding in Globe.
“Yeah, it’s a pretty big deal, probably 99% of my life, yeah,” Mellema said.
Tim normally makes the trip from his home in Globe to the Valley for practices with the Phoenix Rising Youth Club. But this time, he made the trip with his family to be the honorary captain at a Phoenix Rising FC match.
“I get to walk out on the field with the players, I’m very excited to see that,” he said. “And we get good seats to watch the game and I’m just very excited to see them play.”;
The backstory:
Tim was honored this evening for his heroic actions last month when floodwaters started to rise in his family’s home in Globe. The teen burst through a window with his arm to save himself and his parents, nearly losing his arm in the process.
“I had no idea what I was doing the first five minutes,” he said. “But it was kind of all instinct and eventually I realized it was a dangerous situation.”
What they’re saying:
Tim is on the road to full recovery of his arm and hand, thanks to a surgical team at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. His sister, Rose, is happy to have her best friend out of the hospital.
“We’ve been doing a lot of just like things together, being able to play board games and stuff,” Rose Mellema said. “It’s been great. We’ve been able to spend time together and have fun.”
Tim has a message to anyone facing dangerous situations or natural disasters.
“Mostly just stay calm, just remember to keep your family safe,” he advised. “God is with you at all times.”
Tim and Rose both thanked the community for the support they’ve received, including the monetary donations through GoFundMe. The family has been able to find temporary housing, and Tim says he is slowly finding his way back to soccer.
The Source: This information was provided by the Mellema family, the surgical team at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and previous coverage.
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