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KAMAS — Joe Donnell, who rescued then-9-year-old Paxton Knight from a submerged truck, is to be the recipient of the Carnegie Medal — an award offered to extraordinary heroes risking their lives to help others.
Donnell saved Knight's life on Aug. 22, 2022, after Knight had been submerged for about 10 minutes in his family's truck that slid into Morehouse Reservoir in Summit County. Donnell dove into the water seven times before finding Knight and pulling him to the surface.
The Carnegie medal is awarded by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, which were both started by Andrew Carnegie in 1904, and has been given to 10,387 heroes since. Donnell is hero No. 10,380.
The commission receives about 800 nominations every year, each of which are thoroughly investigated for whether the circumstances meet the commission's standards of heroism, including risk of death for the rescuer. Donnell was nominated by a close friend.
Donnell said he is excited about the award, and, "I'm just glad (Knight) is alive. In my 25-year career as a ranger and emergency responder, I had a lot of people that didn't survive more often than not, so it was really nice that he survived — and not only did he survive, but he has no long-term effects."
Donnell said the seven dives were difficult, especially when he realized Knight might have gone to the bottom of the reservoir — about 12 feet down. Donnell was planning on checking the reservoir floor on his eighth dive, but didn't have to when he felt a piece of Knight's clothing and pulled him up.
Jewels Phraner, Carnegie communications director, said the rescue was remarkable because of the number of dives.
"We've been doing this for 120 years and we have awarded more than 10,000 Carnegie medals — we kind of become the expert on these risky situations," she said. "Every time you enter a sunken vehicle underwater, you really risk getting turned around and not being able to come back out, and he dove down so many times to save a little boy. ... It was really an incredible rescue and we're so honored to be able to recognize (Donnell)."
Boy saved from submerged truck is back on his feet — thanks to heroes and miracles
Summit County Sheriff recognized four first responders who helped rescue children in a truck being submerged at a Utah reservoir on Aug. 22.Knight is now 10 years old and he and Donnell are still close.
Donnell said the only harm he experienced from the dangerous rescue was a few hours of hypothermia.
"When the incident went down, I wasn't afraid at all," he said. "I just had a real sense of calmness about me. I didn't panic, so I just think that was God putting me in the right place at the right time and giving me the skills and the courage to do it."
Phraner said the medal will be ready in a few months, but needs to be engraved with Donnell's name and the location and date of the rescue. There will be a local ceremony held for Donnell when the medal is ready.
To learn more about the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission or to nominate a hero, visit its website.
