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Student receives medal of valor
January 26, 2007
Governor Chris Gregoire awarded student Alana Schutt with the Washington State Medal of Valor for her quick and calm response in saving the lives of three men last spring.
The medal is given “to any person who has saved, or attempted to save, the life of another at the risk of serious injury or death to himself or herself.” Schutt received the medal in a ceremony on Jan. 24 in Olympia.
Last May 26, Schutt saved three fishermen whose boat was sinking on Martha Lake in Lynnwood, Wash. She noticed the fishermen struggling from her parent’s back yard and initially thought they were “goofing off.”
She quickly realized their boat was taking on water, and as her mother called 911, she hopped on her paddleboat to help. On her way to the sinking boat, she noticed one of the men struggling in the water about 100 yards from the boat.
“He was a big guy, he was pale and in shock. He became my priority,” Schutt said.
Schutt is a strong swimmer who is trained in first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. She pulled the man into her paddleboat before proceeding to the spot where the other two men clung to their partially submerged boat.
With the aid of one of the men – the only good swimmer among the trio – she pushed her paddleboat and pulled the partially submerged boat to the boat launch where emergency responders waited. All three men were uninjured.
Schutt is proud of her role in saving the men, and she said that going out to help them was a reasonable and sensible decision. Her training helped her think clearly and remain calm through the situation.
“I didn’t want it to be this big thing, like what I did was this great deal,” Schutt said about her medal. She added that she did doesn’t compare to, for instance, people who enter burning buildings to rescue others.
Schutt is a senior and a member of PLU’s fastpitch softball team.
Last May 26, Schutt saved three fishermen whose boat was sinking on Martha Lake in Lynnwood, Wash. She noticed the fishermen struggling from her parent’s back yard and initially thought they were “goofing off.”
She quickly realized their boat was taking on water, and as her mother called 911, she hopped on her paddleboat to help. On her way to the sinking boat, she noticed one of the men struggling in the water about 100 yards from the boat.
“He was a big guy, he was pale and in shock. He became my priority,” Schutt said.
Schutt is a strong swimmer who is trained in first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. She pulled the man into her paddleboat before proceeding to the spot where the other two men clung to their partially submerged boat.
With the aid of one of the men – the only good swimmer among the trio – she pushed her paddleboat and pulled the partially submerged boat to the boat launch where emergency responders waited. All three men were uninjured.
Schutt is proud of her role in saving the men, and she said that going out to help them was a reasonable and sensible decision. Her training helped her think clearly and remain calm through the situation.
“I didn’t want it to be this big thing, like what I did was this great deal,” Schutt said about her medal. She added that she did doesn’t compare to, for instance, people who enter burning buildings to rescue others.
Schutt is a senior and a member of PLU’s fastpitch softball team.