Ruby Hodge received the Good Citizen award from the Marlboro County Sheriff's Office.
/ Lisa Edge
BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (WPDE) - An 89-year-old woman who stopped a robbery in her home received a prestigious award Monday from the Marlboro County Sheriff's Office. Ruby Hodge used her pistol to scare two men away who police say broke into her home.
Just a couple weeks ago, Mrs. Ruby had to deal with a situation most of us hope we'll never find ourselves in - a crime happening in her own home. She's thankful she had her emergency alert Life Line necklace on then as she does today . "Yeah I'm glad because just (the) time it happened, I mashed this, and that's when I got help in just a few minutes after it happened."
Armed with a pistol, Mrs. Ruby says initially she wasn't frightened. "I got really nervous whenever the sheriff walked in. I got real nervous at what happened then, but up until then I wasn't scared."
Also credited with helping police and honored Monday with a Good Citizen award was Mrs. Ruby's mailman. Jerry Cooper says he saw a car the suspects were in at a vacant house. He wrote down the license plate number and later shared it with police.
"If it looks suspicious, I write a lot of them down, but I didn't think about it being a break-in. I just knew the vehicle shouldn't have been there that time of morning," he explained.
At a luncheon held in her honor, she was surrounded by those who love her. They're happy she wasn't harmed and brave enough to protect herself.
Mrs. Ruby says she's enjoying the attention and her plaque. "It makes me feel good. It makes me feel real good, and I appreciate what everybody has done."
"I appreciate it and I'm just glad it worked out like it did. I'm glad the small tip that I gave them helped. Mrs. Ruby Hodge did all the work. She's my hero," adds Cooper.
