911 Operator Hailed as Hero

Tonight, we want to tell you about a 911 operator who is a true hometown hero. She talked a young girl, home alone, through a frightening robbery, keeping her calm, quiet and even telling her tricks... See More

Tonight, we want to tell you about a 911 operator who is a true hometown hero. She talked a young girl, home alone, through a frightening robbery, keeping her calm, quiet and even telling her tricks to signal she could understand. Tonight, abc's amy robach with the survival lesson. Reporter:15-year-old doyin shows us where she hid as intruders burst into her house, crouching in her parents closet as she called 911. He's inside the house. He's inside? Yes. He's inside the house. Reporter: The woman on the other end of the phone? 12-year veteran polic dispatcher angie rivera. Where are you? Upstairs in the bedroom? I'm sitting in my parents' closet. Is anybody expected home? No, my parents are both at work. Okay, please hurry. Yeah, we're on the way. We also have a helicopter on the way, too. Reporter: Angie knew being calm was the difference between life and death. We are trained to be calm, to get her help, let her know she's not alone. Reporter: Over the phone, an geocould hear the intruders closing in. Do you still hear him upstairs? Bring the bucket over here! Okay, don't talk. Reporter: Instead of talkin angie asked her to tap yes or no answers on the phone. Somewhere, something hit me to just keep her quiet, keep me quiet. I tried to whisper and then the tapping on the phone came in. When you're talking to a child, you just really -- I don't know, the mother in my comes out. Reporter: Minutes later, the burglars were caught by police in the driveway. But angie stayed on the phone until the end. You're doing a great job. Just stay there. Reporter: Doyin says angie gave her the strength to get through the most fightening home of her life. I was really happy with her, because she helped -- I think she helped me a lot, because if I was on the phone with somebody, I probably would have freaked out. Reporter: Angie's lesson for us all, when you're in a crisis, staying calm can save your life. And angie added, the way for us to all stay calm through a terrifying ordeal is to trust the operator on the other end, to know that help is on the way and to believe, diane, that you will survive. And tapping the phone. Reporter: Yes, who would have thought? Thank you, amy.