Medal of Valor

At the Sheriff's Office 2011 Recognition Banquet on Wednesday, May 18, Dave was given the Medal of Valor.  I would like to paraphrase what the Sheriff read but I couldn't do it justice.  Plus, I want it for my journal so I'll go ahead and type what was said:

"The Medal of Valor is given for outstanding service and conspicuous bravery in the line of duty, wherein the employee risks loss of life with knowledge of the danger involved.

On July 4, 2010, deputies were dispatched to an emergency call of traumatic injury involving a citizen and a boat propeller at Hyrum Dam Reservoir.  Several members of the sheriff's Office and allied first responders were sent to the scene including Deputies Welker and Hansen.  On arrival, Deputies Welker and Hansen removed their uniform gear, received a ride on a private boat to the incident location, and found the victim pinned in the propeller of the boat.  Without hesitation, with risk to their own lives, Deputies Welker and Hansen went into the water.  They took turns keeping the victim's head above water while trying to free the victim from the propeller.  Welker and Hansen worked repeatedly to cut clothing and free the victim's legs that were tangled in the propeller.  After being freed from the boat and with the assistance of other first responders and citizens, the victim was loaded into a private boat and transported to medical providers at the Hyrum Dam Boat Dock.

With this demonstration of bravery and unselfish act of putting his own life at great risk, it is with a great deal of pleasure I award this medal, the Medal of Valor, to Deputy Welker."

When this incident occurred, Dave was actually riding his motorcycle.  For him to drop is duty gear took more then just removing his duty belt.  He had to take of his knee-high motorcycle boots.  Now let me say that it's no easy task removing these things.  Without Dave's boot "horse shoe" to help remove the boots, it turns into a two man job between us to pull those things off.  I guess it's amazing what adrenaline can do because he doesn't remember there being a struggle to remove the boots by himself.

Also, this is the night that Dave spent some time at the ER getting stitches in his finger.  While he was trying to cut the man lose from the propeller, he sliced his finger open.

Things like this make your heart swell and can bring a tear or two to your eye.  What an amazing person Dave is.  I am so lucky to have him in my life and in the life of our girls.

Congratulations Dave!