20 Carnegie heroes named for extraordinary heroism

Posted on by Jewels Phraner

heroism

PITTSBURGH, PA., DECEMBER 19, 2017— A 24-year-old father who attempted to save his 3-year-old son from a burning building, a 76-year-old who removed a man from a burning car, a teacher, an arborist, and two high school students are among the 20 men and women recently awarded the Carnegie Medal for outstanding civilian heroism. Seven individuals were honored posthumously in this class of Carnegie Heroes, including three who were attempting to rescue children.

The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the United States and Canada to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. The heroes announced today bring to 77 the number of awards made to date in 2017 and to 9,991 the total number since the Pittsburgh-based Fund’s inception in 1904.

Commission Chair Mark Laskow said each of the awardees or their survivors will also receive a financial grant.

Throughout the 113 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, $39.6 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.

The awardees are:

To nominate someone for the Carnegie Medal, complete a nomination form online, write the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission at 436 Seventh Ave., Suite 1101, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, or call 1-800-447-8900 (toll-free). More information on the Carnegie Medal and the history of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission can be found at carnegiehero.org. Find us on Facebook or Twitter.

ROBIN IRELAND

Plymouth, Massachusetts

Robin Ireland rescued a woman from assault, Plymouth, Massachusetts, July 14, 2016. In the afternoon, a 39-year-old woman was jogging alone on a wooded trail at a municipal park when a seasonal park employee followed her on a utility vehicle to a secluded area, where he grabbed her and pressed pruning shears to her back. The woman struggled with the assailant, who tackled and repeatedly stabbed her. Jogging nearby, Ireland, 39, a teacher who was working at the park, heard her screaming and ran to the sounds. Ireland stepped to within 10 feet of the assailant, who stood a few feet closer than the woman. She was bleeding from the face and neck. The assailant, who was larger than Ireland, showed Ireland the shears; Ireland grabbed a stick about 3 feet long from the ground and yelled for the assailant to get away from the woman. As Ireland encouraged the assailant to come at him, the woman ran to safety at a small beach. Ireland then ran to the assailant’s vehicle, which he drove from the scene toward the point of safety reached by the victim. Arriving police arrested the assailant without resistance. The woman was hospitalized for her injuries. She recovered. 88417-9972

JASON ALLEN WILLIAMS

Orange City, Florida

Jason Allen Williams rescued Michael J. Bridges from burning, Apopka, Florida, August 4, 2016. Bridges, 61, was the driver of a grapple truck that was in an accident in which the vehicle left the roadway, traveled about 200 feet until it hit a ditch, rolled onto its driver’s side and caught fire at its front end. Williams, 32, truck driver, witnessed the accident and stopped to assist. He approached the front end of the vehicle, initially intending to break out the windshield, and heard screams coming from the passenger side. Despite flames burning at the front end and underside of the vehicle, Williams climbed atop the vehicle and opened the passenger door. He extended his head and arms inside, pulled on Bridges’s arms but slipped and fell from the truck. He again climbed to the top of the truck and reached inside, grasped Bridges about his belt and pulled him out of the vehicle. Bridges rolled over Williams, and both men fell from the vehicle to the ground. A woman who responded assisted Williams in aiding Bridges to safety. Flames grew to engulf the cab. Bridges required hospital treatment for his injuries, which included severe burns. Williams suffered minor burns, and he recovered. 88444-9974

COURTNEY BAYNES DORSEY, deceased

Georgetown, South Carolina

Courtney Baynes Dorsey died attempting to save Coey D. Dorsey from drowning, Pawleys Island, South Carolina, July 3, 2016. Coey, 13, was wading in the Atlantic Ocean when he was knocked off his feet and carried away from shore by a strong rip current. He shouted for help. Courtney, 16, high school student and Coey’s brother, was nearby and removed his shirt before stepping onto a rock jetty that extended into the water. Courtney jumped from the end of the jetty into the water and swam toward Coey, but was unable to reach him. Courtney eventually submerged. Coey was rescued by a man on a surfboard who took him to shore. Coey was transported to a hospital and kept overnight for observation. He also sustained lacerations to his feet from which he recovered. Rescuers searched for Courtney, but he was not recovered. 88382-9976

DEMETRIUS T. JOHNSON, Sr., deceased

Buffalo, New York

Demetrius T. Johnson, Sr., died attempting to save Demetrius T. Johnson, Jr., from burning, Buffalo, New York, February 19, 2016. Demetrius, 3, was in a bedroom of his family’s first-floor apartment when fire broke out in the kitchen. Johnson, 24, who was Demetrius’s father, was sleeping in the apartment’s living room at the time. He was wakened and carried another child in the apartment outside to safety. Realizing that Demetrius was still inside, Johnson went back into the apartment to retrieve him. Arriving firefighters found Johnson and Demetrius in the living room and removed them. Demetrius was hospitalized three days for smoke inhalation; he recovered. Johnson died of smoke inhalation. 88099-9975

TERRYANN E. THOMAS

Topeka, Kansas

Terryann E. Thomas rescued Tammy K. Walter from assault, Topeka, Kansas, July 10, 2015. Walter, 50, was punched by a man in a public waiting room of a police station, which caused her to fall to the floor. The assailant stood over her and punched and kicked her repeatedly. Alerted by her screams, Thomas, 46, inventory specialist, left a secured area to go to Walter’s aid. She yanked at the assailant from behind, pulling him away from Walter, but she released her grasp when the assailant began punching her. He then resumed his attack on Walter, and Thomas pulled him away again. When an elevator door in the room opened, the assailant grasped Thomas and pulled her toward the elevator. In the doorway of the elevator, Thomas struggled against the assailant, falling to her hands and knees on the floor and pulling the assailant back into the room with her. He then kicked her in the head and chest. Thomas rose and ran to a door, opened it and shouted for help. Responding officers took the man to the floor and into custody. Walter and Thomas were taken to the hospital where they were treated for injuries, Thomas recovering in about two months. 88969-9973

AUSTIN CRAIG WELCH, deceased

Bartow, Florida

Austin Craig Welch died attempting to save Crystal E. Droz from drowning, Bartow, Florida, September 3, 2016. Crystal, 11, was fishing in a river from a small dock when she fell into the rain-swollen, fast-flowing water. Her brother, Welch, 18, high school student, jumped from the dock and grabbed her, but he struggled to swim against the strong current. Their mother then entered the water and swam to them. They all held to each other and fought to stay above water as they drifted to the middle of the river. More than 200 feet downstream, Welch separated from Crystal and his mother and submerged. Soon after, Crystal and the mother reached a river bank, pulled themselves from the water, and went to a nearby highway to seek help. Responding authorities located Welch the following day in the vicinity of where he last had been seen. He had drowned. 88529-9977

DAVIS ILAN ZINSENHEIM, deceased

Marietta, Georgia

Davis Ilan Zinsenheim died attempting to save Joseph H. Hopkins from falling, Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, May 10, 2016. While hiking in a mountainous area during the evening, Hopkins, 22, and his friend, Zinsenheim, 22, college student, were walking on the rocks in a streambed. Thick vegetation obstructed sight of the stream’s extension to the edge of a cliff and a waterfall at least 100 feet in height. Some distance from the cliff, Hopkins fell and slid over the brink to a ledge partway down. Zinsenheim, who had been standing close to Hopkins, yelled out. He ran after Hopkins until he too lost his footing, slid over the edge, and fell to the base of the waterfall. Both suffered severe injuries. Firefighters utilized a 100-foot ladder on a truck to reach Hopkins; he was taken to a hospital, where he died that night. Zinsenheim died at the scene. 88278-9978

THOMAS M. PETRUSZAK, deceased

Manteno, Illinois

Thomas M. Petruszak died attempting to save Adam M. Woodruff from drowning, Gladstone, Michigan, September 3, 2016. Woodruff, 37, was fishing from a motorboat in a Lake Michigan bay about 1 mile from shore when he lost his balance and fell into the deep, 70-degree water. Woodruff trod water as he drifted from the boat, which his friend was unable to start. Also on board, Petruszak, 57, tree trimmer, jumped from the boat and swam to Woodruff. Petruszak attempted to tow Woodruff to the boat, but a wave separated them, and Petruszak disappeared. The friend signaled distress and notified authorities. Alerted, a party in another boat located Woodruff, who was nearly exhausted, pulled him from the water, and took him to shore. Authorities searched extensively for Petruszak, finding his body five days later; he had drowned. 88667-9979

NOAH HILL KING

Panama City, Florida

Noah Hill King saved Jonathon A. Chiodo from burning, Panama City, Florida, October 25, 2016. Chiodo, 23, was the driver of a sport utility vehicle that left the road, traveled down an embankment and struck a culvert. Its front end aflame, the vehicle came to rest on its passenger side in the culvert. King, 38, financial planner, drove upon the scene. He approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and using his forearm, struck the window, but the glass did not break. King was able to break out the window after two more attempts. Despite growing flames at the engine compartment, King extended his upper body inside the window opening, grasped Chiodo under his arms, and dragged him through the opening out of the vehicle. King dragged Chiodo away from the immediate vicinity of the vehicle as flames soon grew to engulf it. King suffered lacerations to his hand and was treated at the scene. He recovered. 88682-9980

FRANK B. CONSELMAN

Rockwall, Texas

Frank B. Conselman saved a 32-year-old man and helped to save Robert S. Marchand from drowning, Pensacola Beach, Florida, July 26, 2016. Marchand, 36, and the 32-year-old man entered the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in an attempt to assist a woman and two children who were caught in a rip current. Marchand and the other man were also caught in the rip current and unable to reach the woman and children. Conselman, 45, business owner, was alerted to the situation. He put on a flotation belt, obtained a kickboard, and entered the water. He swam approximately 225 feet to Marchand, who was barely above the surface of the water, shouting for help. Conselman gave Marchand the kickboard and then swam to the 32-year-old man, who was about 45 feet away. Conselman grasped the man’s arm and swam toward shore, hampered by the waves and strong winds. Once Conselman had the 32-year-old man in wadable water he stood and pulled the man toward the beach. Another man came out and took the 32-year-old man from Conselman, who was able to exit the water on his own. A lifeguard swam out to Marchand and took him back to the beach. Marchand and the other man were transported to a hospital where they were treated and released. Conselman swallowed water and was nearly exhausted after the rescue; he recovered in two days. 88455-9981

JAMES EDWARD GILES

Terrace, British Columbia

James Edward Giles rescued a boy and girl from burning, Terrace, British Columbia, October 18, 2016. Two young siblings, a boy and a girl, were in a split-level house when fire broke out in an attached garage. Giles, 40, construction safety officer, lived across the street and was alerted to the fire. Giles ran to the house and shouted. When he did not get a reply he threw a rock through a bedroom window. Giles went to the front door, which was opened by the children’s mother, who exited the house. Giles went into the house where visibility was limited by dense smoke, and covered his face with his shirt. He moved forward into the house and found the boy on a stairway to the basement, located about 8 feet from the front door. Giles partially descended the stairway and grasped the boy, then took him outside to safety. Giles re-entered the house and, retracing his steps, found the girl on the stairway going up to the upper floor. Giles picked up the girl and exited the house with her. The boy and girl were treated at the scene for mild smoke inhalation. Giles was treated for mild smoke inhalation; he recovered. 88640-9982

MARK RICH

Randleman, North Carolina

Mark Rich helped to save a girl from drowning, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, July 25, 2016. A 9-year-old girl and her younger sister were caught in the strong current of an inlet and pulled away from shore. The girl’s father attempted to go to their aid, as did her mother, who swam out and reached the 9-year-old. On shore, Rich, 52, arborist, witnessed the family in distress. Rich swam to the girl, who left her mother and held to him. With difficulty, Rich swam the girl almost back to shore but struggled to reach wadable water. Rich’s wife swam out to assist them, and the girl, with help from others, reached safety on the beach. Rich was nearly exhausted, but he declined medical treatment. Boaters pulled the girl’s sister and mother from the water, and recovered her father, who was unresponsive and could not be revived. He had drowned. 88592-9983

JOSHUA J. OWEN

Kansas City, Missouri

Joshua J. Owen helped to rescue a woman and a baby from assault, Shawnee, Kansas, September 11, 2016. In a store parking lot in the afternoon, two assailants ambushed the 39-year-old woman at her car after she placed her 8-month-old son inside. The woman suffered blows to her head, including from a handgun; she got free and screamed for help. Parked about 100 feet away, Owen, 33, construction worker, responded to the woman, who was bloodied. She pointed out to Owen one assailant, who by then was in the driver’s seat of the van beside her car. Owen concluded that he needed to protect the woman from him. That assailant, who greatly outweighed Owen, exited the van on the passenger side, where Owen punched and tackled him. The assailant returned to his feet and shot Owen in the face with the handgun. Owen continued to tussle with the assailant, taking him to the ground a second time. While Owen was on top of him, the assailant shot him twice more in the left forearm and shoulder. Owen rolled a few feet away. A bystander then fatally shot that assailant; the other had fled the scene but later was arrested. The woman, who recovered her son and went to safety inside the store, was hospitalized for head injuries. Owen underwent surgery to reconstruct his face during his five-day hospitalization. Two months later, doctors removed the bullet from his shoulder. Owen did not resume work fully for about six months. 88775-9984

HILTON QUINTANA

Cresco, Pennsylvania

KYLE VAN NOTE

Kunkletown, Pennsylvania

Hilton Quintana and Kyle Van Note rescued Andreas Kruizenga from burning, Cresco, Pennsylvania, August 25, 2016. Kruizenga, 65, was the driver of a car that overturned in a nighttime accident on a rural road. A fire started at the car’s front end and smoke filled the interior; Kruizenga yelled for help. A nearby resident, Quintana, 59, senior equipment technician, arrived about the same time as Van Note, 32, police officer. Quintana and Van Note attempted to open a damaged front door. With smoke precluding visibility, they could not see Kruizenga inside. They moved to a rear door and opened it. Kruizenga’s hand soon appeared through the smoke. Van Note leaned into the car, grabbed the hand, and pulled on Kruizenga, whose body was stuck. Quintana, too, grasped Kruizenga, and together they pulled him from the car. As Van Note dragged Kruizenga, whose pants were burning, farther away, Quintana attempted to smother the flames with a floor mat before pulling the pants off. Quintana and Van Note then carried Kruizenga toward Van Note’s patrol car as flames grew. Kruizenga was hospitalized for burns to his legs and arms. He recovered. 88566-9985/88565-9986

JAMES RAYMOND GARVEY, SR.

Fairhope, Pennsylvania

James Raymond Garvey, Sr. saved Ryan Hindinger from burning, Imler, Pennsylvania, November 19, 2016. Hindinger, 26, was driving his sport utility vehicle on a rural stretch of an interstate highway when it left the roadway and crashed. The vehicle rolled over, landed upright, and caught fire next to a wooded embankment about 75 feet from the highway. Garvey, 76, museum owner, was driving nearby with his wife when he noticed the fire, ran to Hindinger’s vehicle, and urged Hindinger to exit. Hindinger, who was semi-conscious, could not open the driver’s door, which was jammed from the impact. The passenger side of the vehicle was inaccessible due to burning brush. Garvey extended his upper body through the driver’s side window opening and pulled Hindinger, who was much larger than Garvey, partially through the opening as flames burned next to the open window. Garvey then braced his feet against the vehicle and pulled Hindinger free of the vehicle, then led him safely away as flames engulfed it. Garvey reported minor burns to his arm, which didn’t require medical treatment. Hindinger suffered a traumatic brain injury, was hospitalized for two days, and required speech therapy for months. He recovered. 88713-9987

ANGEL DARLENE FIORINI

Newman Lake, Washington

MATTHEW PAUL BURSON

Spokane Valley, Washington

Angel Darlene Fiorini and Matthew Paul Burson helped to rescue Gianna E. Fiorini from burning, Burson also rescuing Fiorini, Newman Lake, Washington, October 28, 2016. Gianna, 7, was in the bedroom of a burning mobile home when fire broke out in the kitchen. Fiorini, 32, homemaker and Gianna’s mother, removed Gianna’s brother and sister from the home and then re-entered for Gianna. Fiorini went first to her hands and knees then to her stomach and moved toward the bedroom through the thick, black smoke and blistering heat. Once inside the bedroom she removed Gianna from a bed and put her on the floor, then dragged her toward the front door. Fiorini stopped several feet from the door and briefly released Gianna to open it. Fiorini lost consciousness as she returned to Gianna. Matthew Paul Burson, 45, registered nurse, arrived on the scene and entered the home, crawling until he reached Fiorini, who was unconscious. Burson moved Fiorini to the door and took her outside, where she regained consciousness. Burson re-entered the home and found Gianna, who was also unconscious, and removed her from the home, where she regained consciousness. Flames extended out the doorway minutes after they were away from the home, which was shortly engulfed by flames. Gianna was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and severe burns to her body. Fiorini was hospitalized several weeks for severe lung damage from smoke inhalation and severe burns to nearly half of her body. Burson sustained burns to his hands and knees; he recovered. 88670-9990/89273-9991

JUSTIN WILLIAM SCHROEPFER, deceased

Rhinelander, Wisconsin

Justin William Schroepfer died attempting to save Kaylilyn S. Tansey and Abigail L. Sprinkle from drowning, Marquette, Michigan, June 11, 2016. Tansey and Sprinkle, both 22, were wading in the waist-high, 50-degree water of Lake Superior on a shoal that extended from a shoreline to an island about 300 feet away. While Sprinkle reached a large rock nearer to the island, Tansey had difficulty with the rough current. Sprinkle left the rock to assist Tansey and called for help. On shore with friends, Schroepfer, 24, accountant, watched the women struggling. He waded into the water, then swam through large waves toward Tansey and Sprinkle. Schroepfer arrived in their vicinity, but all three were swept into deeper water, and Tansey and Schroepfer submerged. As Sprinkle floated into calmer current back toward shore, a man and woman reached her and brought her to land. Sprinkle was hospitalized for hypothermia, then released. Divers later recovered Tansey and Schroepfer about a half-mile from shore; both had drowned. 88838-9988

DMITRIY A. BONDARENKO, deceased

Shakopee, Minnesota

Dmitriy A. Bondarenko died attempting to save Aleks M. Kanishchev from drowning, Panama City, Florida, August 10, 2016. Kanishchev, 60, became trapped in a strong current in the Gulf of Mexico that took him away from shore and kept him from returning in the choppy water at a point about 160 feet from shore. Bondarenko, 39, business operator, was alerted that Kanishchev needed help. Despite the strong current, Bondarenko, who was on a family vacation and was Kanishchev’s relative, ran to the water, entered the surf and waded and swam toward him. Another man had reached Kanishchev but a wave separated them, and the man returned to shore. Bondarenko reached a point about 3 feet from Kanishchev and told him to swim. Bondarenko submerged and never resurfaced. Kanishchev swam out of the rip current and toward shore. Another man entered with a rescue tube and swam to Kanishchev when he reached a point about 50 feet from shore and aided him back to the beach. Kanishchev was treated at the scene for water inhalation and near-exhaustion, from which he recovered in three days. Bondarenko’s body was recovered in the water the next day. He had drowned. 88468-9989