MARION, Ill (WSIL) � A pair of young men are being celebrated as heroes after their quick thinking and courageous actions saved a woman’s life during a crisis at Crab Orchard Lake.
On May 27, Zach Wagner and Brayden Edwards were out testing equipment on the lake when they noticed something troubling, a woman in the water, face down and not moving. Authorities say the woman was experiencing a mental health crisis before entering the lake. Without hesitation, the two sprang into action.
Zach Wagner, Life Saving Award Recipient, "I backed off the dock and turned and looked in the water, and she was face down� she wasn't moving at all. So I jumped in. She was probably 10�15 feet away, and by the time I picked her up, Brayden was on the dock pulling her up."
The woman was safely removed from the water and received immediate medical attention, thanks to their fast response.
On Wednesday, June 11, Wagner and Edwards were presented with the Life Saving Award by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. The award recognizes citizens who go above and beyond to preserve life and Sheriff Jeff Diederich says these two did exactly that. "They saw the female enter the water� and it didn’t look like it should. They realized she was in distress and rescued her. Had they not intervened, we would have experienced a loss of life in this situation", says Diederich. When asked if they see themselves as heroes, the two remained humble. "I'm very honored� we were just at the right place at the right time" says Brayden Edwards.
The community has rallied around their selfless act, and both young men say they’re grateful they could help and the two send well wishes to the woman they saved. Their bravery is a powerful reminder that in moments of crisis, every second matters and sometimes, ordinary people make the extraordinary difference.
