20 Cited For Extraordinary Heroism By Carnegie Hero Fund Commission

    


    
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<p><location>PITTSBURGH</location>, <chron>Sept. 29</chron> /CNW/ -- In its third award announcement of 2009, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission today named 20 individuals from throughout the <location>United States</location> and <location>Canada</location> as recipients of the CARNEGIE MEDAL.  The medal is given to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others.</p>
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<p>Four of the awardees lost their lives in the performance of their rescues acts, including <person>Mark John Thanos</person> and his father <person>John Mikel Thanos</person>, both of Chesterton, Ind.  The men were swept by floodwaters into a culvert while attempting to save a neighbor boy from drowning on <chron>Sept. 14, 2008</chron>.</p>
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<p>The heroes announced today bring to 9,304 the total number of awards since the Pittsburgh-based Fund's inception in 1904.  Commission <person>President Mark Laskow</person> stated that each of the awardees or their next of kin will also receive a financial grant.  Throughout the 105 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist <person>Andrew Carnegie</person>, <money>$31.8 million</money> has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.  The awardees are:</p>
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    Mark John Thanos, deceased         Chesterton, Ind.
    John Mikel Thanos, deceased        Chesterton, Ind.
    Jorge L. Orozco                    Firestone, Colo.
    Allen Drew Nelson                  Brooklyn, N.Y.
    Mark Barnard                       Regina, Sask.
    Michael David Landry               Regina, Sask.
    Andrew Douglas Hilderman           Regina, Sask.
    Timothy Tonkin                     Smithtown, N.Y.
    Robert Stanford Rand               San Clemente, Calif.
    Robert Villarreal, Jr.             San Antonio, Texas
    John Augustus Baker II             Brunswick, Ga.
    Joel Edmond Moody                  St. Simons Island, Ga.
    Robert P. Bercel                   Richmond, Mich.
    Adam W. Lucas                      Manchester, N.H.
    Scott O. Clarke                    Nashua, N.H.
    Bruce A. Baxter                    Petaluma, Calif.
    Rosetta M. Albright, deceased      Sapulpa. Okla.
    Tanya M. O'Donnell                 West Harrison, N.Y.
    Joseph F. Kelly, Sr., deceased     Levittown, Pa.
    Jacob T. Carr                      Jacksonville, Ore.

    
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<p>Summaries of the heroic acts can be found at <a href="http://www.carnegiehero.org/awardees_recent.php">http://www.carnegiehero.org/awardees_recent.php</a>. Additional information on the CARNEGIE MEDAL and the history of the CARNEGIE HERO FUND COMMISSION can be found at <a href="http://www.carnegiehero.org">www.carnegiehero.org</a></p>
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    Contact:   Douglas R. Chambers
    Toll free: 1-800-447-8900



    

For further information: Douglas R. Chambers of Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, [phone] Web Site: http://www.carnegiehero.org