The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission today named 22 individuals as recipients of the CARNEGIE MEDAL. The 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. Four of those awarded died in the performance of their heroic acts.
The heroes announced today bring to 9,598 the number of awards made since the Pittsburgh-based Fund’s inception in 1904. Commission President Mark Laskow stated that each of those awarded, or their survivors will also receive a financial grant. Throughout the 109 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, more than $35 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.
A civilian who voluntarily risks his or her own life, knowingly, to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the life of another person is eligible for recognition by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
The act of heroism must have occurred in the United States, Canada, or the waters thereof 12 nautical miles. The act must be brought to the attention of the Commission within two years of the date of its occurrence.
The act of rescue must be one in which no full measure of responsibility exists between the rescuer and the rescued. Persons not eligible for awards are: Those whose duties in following their regular vocations require them to perform such acts, unless the rescues are clearly beyond the line of duty, and members of the immediate family, except in cases of outstanding heroism where the rescuer loses his or her life or is severely injured. Members of the armed services and children considered by the Commission to be too young to comprehend the risks involved are also ineligible for consideration.
Factual establishment
There must be conclusive evidence to support the threat to the victim’s life, the risk undertaken by the rescuer, the rescuer’s degree of responsibility, and the act’s occurrence.
Loren Earl Hazen, deceased - Kalkaska, Mich.
Mark Kevin Breen, Jr. - Hudsonville, Mich.
Daniel G. R. Livingston - Courtenay, B.C.
Jonathan M. Nielsen, Sr. - Morrisville, Vt.
Michael F. Schiotis - Spring Hill, Tenn.
William L. O’Connor - Gold Beach, Ore.
Mark A. Garsteck - Mount Pleasant, Pa.
John E. Swartz - Mount Pleasant, Pa.
Stacey Lynn Feiling, deceased - Mount Pleasant, Pa.
James W. Linthicum - Wichita, Kan.
Wilfred L. Spencer III - Moundsville, W.Va.
John A. Lais, deceased - Burlington, Vt.
Jeffrey W. Caldwell - Frenchtown, N.J.
Michael A. Pellegrino - Brick, N.J.
Frederick K. Dow - Ewing, N.J.
Alan B. Hall, deceased - Land O’Lakes, Fla.
Christopher DeFelice - Philadelphia, Pa.
Cody Lewis Decker - DeWitt, Mich.
Luke Daniel Vaughn - DeWitt, Mich.
Brandon M. Wemhoff - Lincoln, Neb.
Nicholas Ray Dorken - Innerkip, Ont.
Tray Hughes Ross - Gainesville, Ga.