ATLANTA — Carissa Mills didn't feel the pain of the stab wounds. She didn't feel anything.
The Cherokee County mother says that February day when a family member attacked her, all she thought about was her 5-year-old daughter Ariana.
"While he was attacking me, I was kind of like, pushing him away, and telling (Ariana) to back away, but she refused," she recounted.
That's when Ariana jumped in to save her mom.
While out on the back deck, Ariana pushed the man hard enough to get him to back away.
"I didn't want her to be hurt," Ariana said.
"He just kind of snapped out of his psychosis, or whatever it was, briefly," Mills said. "Once he realized she was there, he quickly ran off."
The suspect ran away into the woods, and after a brief manhunt he was arrested. The family has asked us not to identify him.
Thursday, Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds gave Ariana the CSO "Medal of Bravery."
Carissa Mills believes she wouldn't be here without her daughter.
"I believe that she saved my life."
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