Fairfax, Virginia, County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay presented the Carnegie Medal to Mark Pembleton at a presentation held on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Fairfax County Government Center.
“This is a story and a moment that I think we all remember well and will remember well for a long time,” McKay said in front of the other members of the council and first responders who joined.
A Sept. 18, 2023, accident left a truck driver laying injured and burning just outside of a tractor trailer that overturned and crashed along the shoulder of a Sterling, Virginia, highway. A fire immediately broke out at the cab and front half of the trailer. Mark Pembleton, a 43-year-old business owner from Burke, Virginia, was driving nearby and witnessed the crash. He stopped to find the driver severely burned and screaming for help on the ground near the burning cab. Pembleton grasped the driver by his outstretched hands amid the intense heat and lunged backward. He struggled to move the man and lost his grip, falling over. Pembleton was forced to retreat from the inferno. He returned and resumed pulling the driver a short distance as he called for help. Another man, whose car was struck in the accident, joined Pembleton and the two men each grabbed an arm. They moved the man away from the truck until the intense heat required brief reprieves. They returned to resume the rescue where they were able to pull the driver 20 feet from the truck. The man that helped Pembleton patted out the flames on the truck driver’s lower body and suffered minor burns to his hands. Ultimately, the truck driver had suffered third-degree burns to nearly his entire body and died two weeks later. Pembleton drove himself to a hospital and was treated for second- and third-degree burns to his arms. He was hospitalized for a month and required nine months of follow up laser surgery to his left arm.
“We’d all like to think that would all be our reaction to a tragedy like that. But we know that’s not the case. It takes extraordinary courage to do what you did that day,” McKay said. “This is a remarkable achievement for a remarkable individual who did a remarkable thing. A selfless act of bravery.”
Before Pembleton accepted the honor, he gave a speech that expressed how thankful and humbled he was to receive the medal.
“I’m deeply honored to stand before you today to accept the Carnegie Medal. To be included among so many remarkable individuals who have embodied selflessness and courage is truly humbling…I want to take this moment to reflect on the larger message of this recognition.”
He continued by encouraging others to act when others are in need.
“Acts of heroism often arise in unexpected moments, and while I never sought this recognition, I am proudly grateful for it. This medal reminds us of the power of humanity, the strength we find in community, and the responsibilities we all share to look out for one another. I hope that when others are faced with similar situations they feel empowered to act. In whatever way they can. Even if that means stepping just outside of their comfort zone, there is always something you can do … Strength may vary from person to person, but the capacity to make a difference is universal,” he said.
Pembleton thanked his family for their support and encouragement during the times following the incident. He also thanked the Hero Fund for the recognition and concluded by saying, “Each of us can make a difference when we choose to act selflessly for others.”