Coach Quigley-Smith Honored with Citizen Commendation Award from the City of Edwardsville

Coach Quigley-Smith Honored with Citizen Commendation Award from the City of Edwardsville

September 19, 2024, 7:30 AM

An article published in the Edwardsville Intelligencer named Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Samantha Quigley-Smith, women's basketball head coach, as a local hero. In a Wednesday, Sept. 18 article, Quigley-Smith is credited along with three other humanitarians for saving the life of a motorcyclist on Father's Day. Quigley-Smith was presented with a Citizen Commendation Award at the Sept. 17 Edwardsville City Council meeting.

Eighteen-year-old Logan Lackey was on his way to visit his father's grave at Valley View Cemetery when he swerved to avoid a collision with a pickup truck, making contact with a median on Route 143. As a result, Lackey was ejected into the air and severed his left leg after striking a stop sign. Quigley-Smith was traveling through the area shortly after the incident occurred when she sprang into action, fashioning a tourniquet out of a beach towel from in her car.

Quigley-Smith was able to talk to Lackey via a phone call during his recovery.

"He had said so many times on the phone that his father was watching over him," said Quigley-Smith to Intelligencer reporter Matt Kamp.

Lackey survived and is reportedly thriving. Quigley-Smith received the award from the Edwardsville Police and Edwardsville Fire Department. Read the full article about the life-saving effort from Quigley-Smith on the Intelligencer.

PHOTO: Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford, Edwardsville Police Chief Michael Fillback, Lyndsey Holder, Dakota Moore, Charles Silvey, Samantha Smith and Edwardsville Police Lt. Brandon Whittaker. Photo courtesy of the Edwardsville Intelligencer.