To celebrate its centennial year in 2004, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission produced a series of 90-second broadcasts, each recounting a remarkable act of everyday courage drawn from the fund’s archives. Spanning a century of heroism and representing a broad range of individuals, these real-life accounts of selfless acts of courage are uplifting evocations of exceptional human behavior.
Audio Archive
Hezekiah Abbott, David Abbott, Henry J. Abbott, Daniel Butler, Isaac J.Butler, all Bonavista, Newfoundland
On April 4, 1917, five men picked their way through pack ice to save several hunters stranded on a drifting floe.
Earl A. Ames, Olathe, KS; Thomas Herrman, Blue Mound, KS; Rollo Eastman, Harper, KS
On December 25th, 1906, three young men went to help a skater who’d fallen through weak ice.
Jack C. Anderson, Jr. and Lois M. Anderson, Anchorage, AK ; John C. Anderson III, Seattle, WA
On October 19, 1964, a collision between two fuel ships let a family demonstrate their skill and bravery.
David Andrews, Snow Hill, AL
On January 24, 1952, David Andrews, a 67-year-old farmer, kept a neighbor from being buried alive.
Joseph R. Arcaris, Fort Lauderdale, FL
On February 9, 1940, Joseph R. Arcaris faced down five lions to save a man.
Malcolm R. Aspeslet, Edmonton, Alberta
On October 1, 1971, Malcolm R. Aspeslet rescued his co-worker from a grizzly bear.
Lyle D. Baade, Peoria, AZ
On April 19, 2000, Lyle D. Baade, a heart-transplant recipient, prevented a massacre.
Peter J. Bacso, Charles Kunkler, both Wadsworth, Ohio
On February 5, 1915, two men risked their lives to save a child who dashed into the path of an oncoming train.
Louis A. Baumann, Jr., Wilkinsburg, PA
On July 17, 1904, 17-year-old Louis A. Bauman Jr. risked his life to keep a friend from drowning.
Shelby Becknell, Cincinnati, OH
On June 6, 1961, Shelby Becknell braved an acid shower to rescue a co-worker.
Norma Ann Bedell, Hammondsville, OH
On June 12, 1941, thirteen-year-old Norma Ann Bedell saved a toddler from an enraged pig.
Gerard Bowles, Brandon, MS
On January 16, 2000, Gerald Bowles got out of his car on an interstate to aid an accident victim.
Grover C. Brewer, Sherman, TX
On January 22, 1926, Grover C. Brewer, a Texas clergyman, saved three children from a rabid dog.
William C. Brisbane, San Francisco, CA
On December 29, 1980, William C. Brisbane scaled the outside of a burning building to save a woman trapped on an eighth-floor balcony.
Mary E. Brown, Woodstock, New Brunswick
On October 11, 1926, Mary E. Brown, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, risked her life trying to keep a man from murdering his five-year-old son.
Mary R. Brown, Washington, D.C.
On December 20, 1909, nurse Mary R. Brown was shot while disarming a delirious patient before he could hurt others.
Andrew Burgess, Salmo, BC; Carl A. Shelrud, Merritt, BC; Edward A. Lawrence, Salmo, BC; Joseph L. Heroux, Salmo, BC; Ian F. Stewart, Salmo, BC; Edward M. Gladu, Salmo, BC; Brian D. Martin, Salmo, BC; Alphonce F. Grotkowski, Ymir, BC; John J. Voykin, Ymir, BC; Wayne R. Ritter, Ymir, BC; Dale R. Burgess, Ymir, BC; Graham D. Bingham, Salmo, BC
On April 18, 1969, twelve men risked their lives to rescue a co-worker after a mining accident.
R. Vernon Callaway, St. Joe, ID
On January 10, 1918, 13-year-old R. Vernon Callaway stood in shoulder-deep freezing water for an hour to keep a schoolmate from drowning.
John M. Carlton, Schenksville, PA ; Richard P. Scholfield, Armonk, NY
On January 9, 1968, John M. Carlton and Richard P. Scholfield landed their helicopter on a burning building to help save its inhabitants.
Edward J. Cartain, Chester, PA
On February 4, 1932, Edward J. Cartain swam to rescue a woman trapped in a burning oil freighter.
P. Rosco Chapman, Pittsburgh, PA
On May 15, 1947, P. Rosco Chapman saved a co-worker dangling from the top of a 260-foot smoke stack.
Lily Blanks Clarke, Monroe, LA
On March 9, 1917, 14-year-old Lily Blanks Clarke saved her younger sister and two other children from drowning.
Charles L. Coe, Burkburnett, Texas
On February 6, 1923, Charles L. Coe died while trying to save two small children from their burning home.
Joseph B. Coleman, Providence, RI
On March 27, 1966, Joseph B. Coleman, a priest and police chaplain, rescued two young girls being held hostage.
J. Manuel Corral, Dell City, TX
Two days before Christmas 1959, J. Manuel Corral volunteered to be lowered headfirst into an abandoned well to save a child.
Ernest F. Davis, Noank, CT
On August 20, 1928, Ernest F. Davis kept a young man from being pulled to the bottom of Long Island Sound.
Donald R. De Vine, Monroe J. Coleman, Raymond J. Grundler, William H. Letzkus, Albert R. Zeleny, all Pittsburgh, PA
On November 17, 1971, five men working to repair a gas-line died trying to save each other.
James E. Dougherty, Edward Davis, Heidelberg, PA ; Roger W. Wells, Pittsburgh, PA
On March 27, 1916, James E. Dougherty, Edward Davis, and Roger W. Wells risked their lives to aid stricken co-workers.
Nathan Duncan, West Point, TX
On August 5, 1907, Nathan Duncan saved a man trapped in a collapsing well.
Christopher Duplessis, Mason Township, ME
On June 22, 2001, 14-year-old Christopher Duplessis pulled an unconscious race car driver from his burning vehicle.
Victor C. Edwards, Chicago, IL
On February 27, 1974, Victor C. Edwards got off a bus to rescue four boys floundering in freezing water.
Daryl Elder, Titusville, FL ; Jerald Bowman, Cocoa, FL
On April 16, 1997, Daryl Elder and Jerald Bowman pulled a driver from a Florida canal.
David M. Elton,; Brodie MacDonald,; Jordan D. Nixon, all Calgary, Alberta; Donald J. Sack, Shelter Cove, CA
On March 25, 2000, three young Canadian men tried to save a woman swept into dangerous surf.
John Espada, Bloomfield, NJ
On August 30, 1994, John Espada climbed up a Ferris wheel to save two trapped children.
Yolanda G. Fabbri, Chicago, IL
On July 2, 1939, Yolanda G. Fabbri jumped into Lake Michigan three times to save two children.
Eric Fortier, Gatineau, Quebec
On July 27, 2001, Eric Fortier saved two friends being mauled by a polar bear.
Alexander Fraser, West Quincy, MA
On January 16, 1907, Alexander Fraser ventured unprotected into a steam filled room to search for a co-worker he thought was inside.
Herbert A. Friedlich, Chicago, Illinois
On August 6, 1919, Herbert A. Friedlich saved a young climber from a fatal fall.
Kayla J. Garrigan, Manitowoc, WI
On May 12th, 1995, 7-year-old Kayla J. Garrigan died after saving her half-brother from a fire in their family’s home.
Louis Gorman, Jerseyville, IL
On October 10, 1959, Louis Gorman saved seven people from a murderous gunman.
Joseph J. Granahan, New York, NY
On November 17, 1960, Joseph J. Granahan rushed into a collapsing New York City tenement to save an elderly woman.
Christopher B. Hall, James Y. McDaniel, Kenneth A. Truitt, all Daingerfield, TX
On June 22, 1980, three men took on a gunman firing into a church congregation.
Carolyn B. Hartsock (6713) Castlewood, VA
On June 13, 1982, 14-year-old Carolyn B. Hartsock braved a blazing house fire to save her younger siblings.
Dale A. Hatch, Bridgewater, MA; Daniel E. Stockwell, Phippsburg, ME and East Swanzey, NH
On May 12, 1963, two young men risked their lives to save a third who’d been swept into deep water.
Winferd L. Hathaway, Willsboro, NY
On February 12, 1927, Winferd L. Hathaway rescued five fishermen stranded on frozen Lake Champlain .
Theodore Henderson, Sr., Tampa, FL
On August 17, 1953, Theodore Henderson, Sr. saved a young girl trapped in her car at the bottom of a murky canal.
Edward R. Heise, River Forest, IL
On June 12, 1980, stagehand Edward R. Heise saved three ballet performers from being struck by a falling object of scenery.
Richard W. Holmes, Warren, RI
On September 21, 1938, fourteen-year old Richard W. Holmes saved two neighbors during a hurricane.
Warren A. Hoy, Tower City, PA; Peter G. Rumpf, Tremont, PA; Frank Carter, Fort Lee, NJ
On January 21, 1921, an incident in a Pennsylvania coal mine gave rise to three acts of heroism.
David G. Jackson, Baxter, TN
On March 31, 1977, David G. Jackson stepped into the path of danger to keep a co-worker from being guillotined.
Stephan Jagusczak, Peter P. Smoley, both Pittsburgh, PA
On November 7, 1960, Stephan Jagusczak and Peter P. Smoley died trying to save a co-worker.
David H. Jones, Benjamin F. Major, both Clarkdale, AZ
On May 4, 1933, David H. Jones and Benjamin F. Major risked their lives to save a fellow worker from an explosion.
Edna M. Joyce, Rochester, PA
On January 25, 1936, despite her physical and cognitive disabilities, Edna M. Joyce became a hero.
Robert B. Keane, Rome, NY ; David M. Cirasuolo, New York Mills, NY
On June 28, 2001, Robert B. Keane and David M. Cirasuolo saved five people in a boat about to be swept over a spillway.
Lewis A. Kee, Oregon, MO
On October 3, 1927, Lewis A. Kee stopped a murderous husband from killing his wife and her aunt.
Ralph A. Kelley, Hudson, NH
On January 14, 1938, 16-year-old Ralph A. Kelley helped two women trapped in a New Hampshire factory fire.
Iram Kevorkian, Niagara Falls, NY
On May 19, 1912, Iram Kevorkian waded toward the edge of Niagara Falls to save a total stranger.
Dorothy Kochs, Cleveland, OH
On January 19, 1956, Dorothy Kochs, an exotic dancer saved two policemen in a Cleveland nightclub.
Marie V. B. Langdon, Telma, WA
On January 11, 1907, Marie V. B. Langdon braved sub-zero temperatures and deep snow to help her neighbors.
Isaac Lewis, Jr., Dominick Formento, Andrew McLuckie, J. Alexander Norberg, Henry Stewart, Robert Clark, James Speir, John Bundy, John, Szabrinski, Charles Waite, John Flood, Walter Waite, George Eddy, Joseph Robeza Jr., all of Cherry, IL
On November 13, 1909, 14 men helped save hundreds from a blazing mine.
Ruby H. Lindsay, Cape Girardeau, MS
On April 19, 1924, Ruby H. Lindsay, a high school sophomore, saved her teacher from being killed on a railroad bridge.
G. Elmer McArthur, Eaton Rapids, MI
On May 24, 1916, G. Elmer McArthur risked his life trying to save two men from drowning.
Addie S. McCormick, Ottawa, Ontario
On July 30, 1964, Addie S. McCormick, a switchboard operator, lost her life while warning hotel guests about a fire.
Elsie H. McEvoy, Hinton, Alberta
On March 16, 1962, Elsie H. McEvoy saved a young neighbor from being mauled by a cougar.
Forest W. McNeir, Houston, TX
On February 12, 1910, Forest W. McNeir saved a Houston fireman.
Melvin J. Maas, St. Paul, MN
On December 13, 1932, Representative Melvin J. Maas confronted a man who had a loaded pistol inside the U.S. Capitol Building.
Kenneth P. Magallanes, Pearl City, HI
On February 21, 1963, 11-year-old Kenneth P. Magallanes volunteered to be lowered into an abandoned cesspool to save a two-year-old boy.
Henry T. Mathews, Dothan, AL
On March 26th, 1912, 12-year-old Henry T. Mathews volunteered to be lowered into an abandoned well to save a younger boy.
Andrew W. Mathieson, Pittsburgh, PA
On February 19, 1986, Andrew W. Mathieson was shot three times while saving his secretary from her enraged husband.
Jeffrey D. Miller, Lockport, NY ; Kevin R. Caffery, Angola, NY
On August 25, 1999, Jeffrey D. Miller and Kevin R. Caffery plucked a would-be suicide from the brink of Niagara Falls.
Barbara H. Muller, Charleston, SC ; A. James Dyess, Augusta, GA
On July 13, 1928, two students, Barbara H. Muller and A. James Dyess, rescued a swimmer caught in an ebb tide.
Henry Naumann, Hammond, IN
On June 16, 1924, Henry Naumann pushed a woman from in front of an on-rushing train.
Juan G. Nicholas, Honolulu, HI
On October 28, 1961, Juan G. Nicholas leapt into the hold of a freight ship to save a fellow stevedore.
David M. Nyman, Anchorage, AK
Over six days in 1989, David M. Nyman braved Alaskan snowstorms to save his stricken climbing partner.
Roger W. Olian, Arlington, VA; Donald W. Usher, Gambrills, MD; Melvin E. Windsor, Monrovia, MD; Martin L. Skutnik, Lorton, VA
On January 13, 1982, an airliner leaving Washington National in a blizzard crashed into a traffic-packed bridge. Of the many who responded, four were particular heroes.
John J. O’Neill, Sr., Yonkers, NY
On May 5, 1954, John J. O’Neill leapt into the Hudson River to save a drowning woman. Two and a half years later, he did it again.
Shirley F. O’Neill, San Francisco, CA
On May 7, 1959, Shirley F. O’Neill risked her life to help the victim of a shark attack.
Frederick G. Preston, Niagara Falls, Ontario
On October 23, 1913, Frederick G. Preston swam into a whirlpool to rescue a movie stuntman.
Harley W. Pullen, Big Creek, MS
On May 29, 1922, Harley W. Pullen, a 12-year-old schoolboy, rescued a man being dragged by a runaway mule.
Douglas E. Read, Maurice Dorion, Wilfred Racine, Joseph J. Jackson, Lucien Charron, Philippe A. Turcotte, Lucien Verreault, and G. David Moreau, all Gatineau, Quebec
On September 10, 1942, an incident at a Canadian wood processing plant gave rise to eight acts of heroism.
Marie-Eve Renaud, Montreal, Quebec
On July 30, 1996, Marie-Eve Renaud saved a man from being crushed.
Margaret E. Rice, Alan H. Rice, Alan R. Rice, Chelan, WA
On November 26, 1945, Margaret E. Rice saved a fellow student when their school bus plunged into a frigid lake.
Matilde Robledo, Teodoro O. Rios, both Santa Rita, NM
On September 26, 1925, Teodoro O. Rios and Matilde Robledo risked their lives to save a co-worker from imminent explosions.
Jodi C. Roderick, Plymouth, MA; Marc M. Meunier, New Bedford, MA; R. Stephen Morrison, Plymouth, MA
On March 18, 1997, three Massachusetts men saved an elderly couple trapped by a collapsing dam.
Carl Seidner, Rohnerville, CA ; James W. Brooks, Crescent City, CA
On September 4, 1927, Carl Seidner and James W. Brooks rowed through pounding Pacific surf to rescue a family whose boat had capsized.
G. James Shaw, Goderich, Ontario
On September 14, 1908, G. James Shaw risked his own life and limbs to save a fellow worker.
Rudell Stitch, Louisville, KY
On September 16, 1958, Rudell Stitch rescued a workman swept over an Ohio River dam. Not two years later on June 5, 1960, he did it again.
W. Roy Stokes, Coral, PA
On January 18, 1908, 12-year-old W. Roy Stokes died attempting to save three young girls who had fallen through thin ice.
Michael V. Ulrich, North Royalton, OH
On October 6, 1965, Michael V. Ulrich wormed into a tight cave crevice three times to extricate a trapped schoolboy.
William E. Van Dyke, William W. Marshall, Henry M. Diggs, Louis H. Comegys, all from Baltimore, MD
On March 7, 1913, four mariners returned to a burning, dynamite-filled freighter to rescue two stranded seamen.
Charles B. Vines, Mobile, AL
On June 27, 1954, Charles B. Vines, a blind former marine, kept two young women from drowning.
Luther B. Weaver, Dallas, TX
On July 15, 1912, Luther B. Weaver died trying to save an employee from fire.
Joseph C. Wiest, Butler, PA
On October 14, 1970, Joseph C. Wiest crossed hot slag to help a fallen co-worker.
James A. Williams, Cleveland, Ohio
On May 21, 1961, James A. Williams lost his life after saving a boy from drowning in Lake Erie .
Sam E. Wohlford, Stratford, TX
On February 11, 1948, Sam E. Wohlford trudged all night through a Texas blizzard to save a snowbound family.
John C. Wood, Farris, OK
On April 11, 1978, John C. Wood, a prisoner at a state penitentiary, kept a guard from being mauled by a Doberman pinscher.
Charles N. Wright,; William L. Dillard, both Highlands, NC
On May 14, 1911, Charles N. Wright and William L. Dillard saved a man from the edge of a 2,000-foot cliff.
Hull L. Wright, James H. Woffenden, both Oakmont, PA
On June 11, 1950, Hull L. Wright and James H. Woffenden went into a river to rescue six people from drowning.
Marguerite Zachary, Dallas, OR
On September 24, 2002, Marguerite Zachary risked her life to protect a woman being shot by a deranged gunman.