Carnegie Medals Awarded To 24 In U.S., Canada For Acts Of Extraordinary Civilian Heroism

PITTSBURGH, March 23, 2016 /CNW/ -- In its first award announcement of 2016, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission said today that 24 people throughout the United States and Canada will each be awarded the Carnegie Medal in recognition of their acts of civilian heroism. The medal is given to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. Three of the awardees died in the performance of their heroic acts.

The heroes announced today bring to 9,845 the total number of awards made since the Pittsburgh-based Fund's inception in 1904. Commission Chair Mark Laskow stated that each of the awardees or their survivors will also receive a financial grant. Throughout the 112 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, $38 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance. The awardees are:

Jeffery A. Houlemard	Hesperia, Calif.
Glenda Clement Beech, deceased	Borger, Texas
Larry J. Koos	La Motte, Iowa
Richard G. Williams	Stratford, Conn.
Anthony F. DellaMonica, Jr.	Madison, Conn.
John D'Alonzo	Glenolden, Pa.
Glenn L. Graham, deceased	Detroit, Mich.
Adam James Tarnowski	Onoway, Alta.
Christopher Mark Rickman, deceased	Brooklyn Park, Md.
Levi Parker Teuton	Myakka City, Fla.
John W. Gallie	Toronto, Ont.
Craig Alexander Morash	Goodwood, N.S.
Stephen Ross	Halifax, N.S.
Keiren J. Tompkins	Halifax, N.S.
Patrick Smith	Pembroke, Ont.
Gary Spurling	Bellingham, Wash.
Frederick Wetzel	Dexter, Ore.
Daniel Patrick Greene	Uxbridge, Ont.
Ronaldo J. Freitas	Somerville, Mass.
Gary E. Richie	Cocoa, Fla.
Jacob Daniel Richie	Palm Bay, Fla.
Brady Olson	Lacey, Wash.
Kirk P. Yankasky	Glendale, Ariz.
Jonathan T. Yankasky	Glendale, Ariz.

Resumes of the acts can be found at http://carnegiehero.org/awardees. Fuller information on the Carnegie Medal and the history of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission can be found at www.carnegiehero.org.  Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/carnegiehero.                     

Contact:  Douglas R. Chambers
Toll free:  1-800-447-8900

SOURCE Carnegie Hero Fund Commission