Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie established the Carnegie Hero Fund in 1904 following a coal mine explosion. Two volunteers who responded to help, Selwyn M. Taylor and Daniel A. Lyle, along with 181 miners lost their lives. Only one person survived the explosion.
Carnegie was touched by the selfless actions of the volunteers and created the Hero Fund to honor and to provide financial assistance to modern day heroes and their families.
How are Carneige Winners Selected?
All honorees, selected from across the United States and Canada, have saved or attempted to save the life of another person or persons at great personal risk. To date, 9,349 people, including living individuals and the families of deceased heroes have been presented with the prestigious medal. Approximately 20 percent of all recipients are honored posthumously.
One Teen Winner Risked His Life to Save Another Drowning Teen.
Elijah “Eli” Wittum, age 17, of Cleveland, North Carolina is one of the 2010 winners of the Carnegie medal.
On May 30 of last year, Wittum was enjoying a cookout at Riverpark Cooleemee, NC (The Bull Hole) with family and friends. He and a schoolmate were chatting on the banks of the rain swollen Yadkin River when the boys heard someone yell, “Help.”
Wittum dove into the river which was churning with ocean-sized waves and swam out and grabbed 15-year-old Marlo Porfirio Ramos of Cooleemee. Both boys went under when Ramos panicked and grabbed Wittum around the neck.
Witutm, who had recently completed lifeguard training at the J. F. Hurley YMCA in Salisbury, NC and was scheduled to begin working as a lifeguard the following month, pulled away. Ramos sank below the muddy water which looked more like chocolate milk than river water.
The teens were swept further down river as Wittum fought the current to get the unconscious Ramos over to the bank. The two teens were both approximately six foot tall and were less than five pounds apart on weight. Ramos was limp by this point.
Wittum was able to grab a large tree limb hanging out across the river, and local fishermen crawled down the limb and lifted Ramos out of the water. Wittum followed behind, checked Ramos’ pulse and called 911.
The River Rescue Had a Happy Ending.
Ramos was transported to a local hospital and was able to return to school the following week. Wittum had multiple scratches but rejoined his family for the cookout.
Wittum Wins Double Medals for Bravery.
Wittum, an Eagle Boy Scout, was honored with the Medal of Honor Cross Palms, the highest honor for bravery awarded by the Scouting program in addition to the Carnegie Medal and a $5,000 monetary award which he will use to pursue a degree in the medical field after he graduates from West Rowan High School next year.
Wittum will receive the Carnegie Medal later this month which reads: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Wittum did not know Ramos prior to the rescue, but he did visit Ramos afterward and says that he is glad that he was able to help. Wittum did not think that what he did was unusual. He said he just thought it was the right thing to do.
Cyndi Allison - Southern born and fed, Cyndi Allison is a college lecturer and newspaper advisor as well as being a freelance writer. She writes on ...
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