Alaska Man Monday: Two True Alaska Heroes

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People need heroes. We need people to admire, people whose feats give us hope and a measure of confidence for our future. Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day, where we remember the heroes of the day that will live in infamy.

We need local heroes, too. And we have some. Here are a couple of real Alaska heroes.

Two Alaska State Troopers were honored Tuesday for risking their lives to save people from drowning in separate incidents earlier this year, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Troopers Garrett Stephens and Nathan Hollenbeck received the Commissioner’s Commendation during a Dec. 2 ceremony at the governor’s office. Both entered frigid waters in different emergencies — one in the Mat-Su and one in Nenana — to rescue victims who were near death, officials said.
“Alaskans rely on our troopers to protect them and save them,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement, adding the pair’s actions “showcase their dedication and commitment to our great state.”

Alaska is known for its outdoor traditions, but the outdoors can be dangerous if you fail to treat it with the respect it deserves. Fortunately, there are people like Troopers Stephens and Hollenbeck around.

Here are the details of the Tanana River rescue:

Around 2:30 a.m. on May 29, Hollenbeck responded while on standby to a report of a man struggling on the Tanana River. He arrived within minutes of the call and found the victim about 15 feet below a steel dock, hypothermic and unable to grab onto a tow strap lowered toward him.
“He was already pale,” Hollenbeck told Alaska’s News Source in an interview in May. “He was not really responding to us talking to him, and he was obviously weak and cold.”
Hollenbeck fastened a makeshift rescue harness, called for a boat or hoist, and then climbed into the icy waters himself.
For roughly 30 minutes, he kept the man’s head above the water until a rescue boat arrived. Both were severely hypothermic and taken to the hospital.
The man survived and was released from the ICU several days later.

And the Mat-Su case:

On June 10, Stephens responded to an urgent call about a 17-year-old boy who had gone underwater about 75 feet from the shore of a Mat-Su lake.
Stephens sprinted into the 42-degree water and swam toward the teen, encouraging him to stay conscious as he drifted in and out of awareness and vomited water, officials said.
Medics threw two life vests into the lake. Stephens put one on and swam the second to the teen, securing it before towing him back to shore with one arm while holding the teen with the other.
The teen was treated for water inhalation and severe hypothermia. Doctors later determined he likely would have died without Stephens’ intervention.

Notice that both of these men acted with utter disregard for their own safety, just to help someone else. That’s pretty much the definition of “hero.”

Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets, and to add to that, I would cheerfully buy either of these heroes the adult beverage of their choice. That’s one of my highest gestures of esteem.

We need heroes. We need inspiring tales like this, but more to the point, humans will always need those among us who are willing to put it on the line to help a stranger who is in peril. Thanks to these two brave Alaska State Troopers for being among the ranks of Alaska's brave and bold.

Now, a few words about earthquakes and other natural events of note.

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