Nellis airmen honored for rescuing pregnant woman from Zion flash flood
Nellis Air Force Base on Monday honored seven of its airmen who helped rescue a pregnant woman and others during flash flooding at Zion National Park.
According to officials at Nellis, the group of airmen were hiking at Zion when they “sprang into action” to rescue four people, including a pregnant woman, earlier this month.
“Their swift and selfless actions are a true testament to the core values of the Air Force: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do,” Nellis said in a Facebook post describing their actions.
The airmen, who showed “remarkable courage and readiness,” were identified as Airman 1st Class Will Martin, Airman 1st Class Demarcus Norman, Airman 1st Class Maximos Olade, Airman Andres Parra, Airman 1st Class Jacob Stillwell, Airman Christian Reyes, and Airman 1st Class Rony Lopez-Aguilar.
According to Nellis, the airmen were making their way along a popular hiking trail when Airman 1st Class Martin noticed the river rising.
As the group made their way to higher ground, Nellis said in a news release that they then spotted a woman who was floating on her back and appeared battered, blue and lifeless.
“Airman 1st Class Norman acted quickly and was able to withstand the force of the current to pull the woman to shore,” the release said. “Airman 1st Class Martin said the woman was barely responsive for an hour as the team called for help.”
As they made their way down canyon to a place where an air evacuation was possible, the woman told the airmen that she was pregnant and had been traveling with three others.
The release states that the team ultimately reunited with the woman’s husband and encountered the other two people, one of whom was on the opposite side of the river with an injured knee. Another woman appeared to be alright, having been pushed to safety by the rushing water.
According to Nellis, the airmen knew that the injured man would not be able to traverse the current. As a result, they formed a human chain to get him across the river.
By linking arm-in-arm, the release says that the airmen were then able to bring the man across and transported the victims to safety so rescue personnel could execute an air evacuation.
Each airmen was presented with a special coin that serves as a “symbol of their extraordinary bravery and commitment.”
“I am incredibly proud our Airmen,” said Maj. James E. Oltman III, 857th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander. “We often talk to our Airmen about the choices they have to either watch or intervene when they come across a situation. These brand-new Airmen chose to act, which ultimately saved a life as a result. Their actions speak volumes about their character and the values we strive for within the unit. I am proud to have them on our team.”