The extraordinary children named as G.I. JOE REAL AMERICAN HERO SEARCH Grand Prize winners include:

• Shantel Brochu of Maine, age 10, who demonstrated exceptional bravery by saving several families, including her own, from a burning building;
• Brian Carbaugh of California, age 8, a burn victim who now educates children about fire safety and volunteers at his regional Burn Center;
• Lauren Dillingham of Georgia, age 8, who recently went through difficult surgery for a rare bone disease, after which she created a gift and fund drive called Love, Lauren to benefit patients at the hospital where she was treated;
• Ethan Funkhouser of Texas, age 9, who is undergoing continuous treatment to battle Leukemia, while serving as an important support for a fellow classmate who is enduring his own chemotherapy treatments;
• Pearce Perry of Ohio, age 10, who drove his mother to safety after she passed out behind the steering wheel of their moving car.

The G.I. JOE REAL AMERICAN HERO SEARCH invited Americans to nominate heroic children (ages 5-12) by writing a short essay detailing a courageous or unselfish deed or service they performed that impacted their lives and the lives of others. A panel of judges selected by Hasbro reviewed the nominations and chose the state and national winners. With compelling stories ranging from life-saving feats to acts of volunteerism and generosity, winning HERO SEARCH nominees demonstrated the ideals exemplified by the G.I. JOE brand: honor, courage, respect, and a willingness to give.

The five children chosen as G.I. JOE REAL AMERICAN HERO SEARCH Grand Prize winners have some amazing stories:

• Shantel Brochu, 10, Auburn, Maine -- Shantel works well under pressure and always takes time out to think of others. This was clearly demonstrated on the night her apartment building was suddenly engulfed in flames and she saved the lives of several families. When she heard her father yelling "fire," she immediately tried to wake up her younger sister, who has two hearing aids. She frantically shook her sister until she woke up, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hear the warning. Then, once safely outside, her parents instructed her to run to the opposite side of the street, but Shantel remembered the two families who had apartments in the rear of the building. "Instead of running outside to safety, she ran to the other two apartments informing everyone of the fire, banging on doors, and yelling for them to come outside," noted Thomas Poulin in his nomination for Shantel. "And although all three families lost their homes, no one was injured in the blaze due to the quick thinking and alert reactions of one very brave young lady."
• Brian Carbaugh, 8, Encinitas, California -- Brian suffered severe burns when he was two years old, scarring over 50 percent of his body. While a patient at UCSD Burn Center, Brian received two gifts that brought back his smile for the first time: a kids videotape and teddy bear. Every year since his accident, Brian has collected new toys from the neighborhood and delivered them to patients at his regional Burn Center. In addition to his gift drives, Brian educates his peers about burns and fire hazards and is a featured speaker during Fire Prevention Week. "His heroic deeds, his caring for people, and determination for life overpower any physical scars Brian has," noted his mother, Robyn Carbaugh, in her nomination. "Sometimes our children teach us the virtues of life."
• Lauren Dillingham, 8, Nashville, Georgia -- Lauren recently endured painful surgery for a rare bone disease called Fibrous Dysplasia. Following her surgery, she created a gift drive called Love, Lauren to benefit patients at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The drive collected 500 toys and $1100 in just a few weeks. "Lauren remembered how special she felt when she received gifts while at the hospital," noted Lindsey Ryan, Volunteer Coordinator at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, in her nomination for Lauren. "She wanted to give other hospitalized children that same wonderful experience."
• Ethan Funkhouser, 9, Plano, Texas -- Ethan was diagnosed with Leukemia at age eight and has battled the disease since then by enduring many months of treatments at the Children's Medical Center of Dallas. During this time, Ethan found out that his friend and classmate, Miles Hutson, had also been diagnosed with cancer. He spent time with Miles, explaining the process of chemotherapy, reaffirming the potential for success, and shoring up his spirits. Ethan sat with his friend during his first chemotherapy visit and helped him through subsequent treatments. Miles is now in the recovery stage and has returned to his classroom. "Miles told Ethan and his parents that because of Ethan, he was not scared at all during his first chemotherapy treatment." noted Ethan's third-grade teacher Deborah Bowles in her nomination. "The boys continue to talk on the phone regularly and provide support for each other."
• Pearce Perry, 10, Smithville, Ohio -- Pearce recently demonstrated exceptional bravery when his mother suddenly blacked out while driving on State Route 585 and lost control of the wheel of her car. Pearce, who was in the front passenger seat, grabbed the steering wheel and directed the car back onto the roadway. While speeding down the highway, Pearce's mother regained consciousness to find her son bravely driving the car with tears coming from his eyes. "Upon learning of Pearce's selfless act of bravery and courage, I just knew that this young man needed to be recognized," noted Chief of Police Jeremy Milford in his nomination for Pearce.

Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.