Sgt. Rhodes with the Carnegie Medal with Governor Edwards, LDWF Secretary Robert Shadoin (Lower Right) and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission.
Governor John Bel Edwards presented a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agent with the Carnegie Medal during the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting in Baton Rouge this morning, Dec. 8.
Governor Edwards honored LDWF Sgt. Stephen Rhodes with the Carnegie Medal for his heroic actions on May 7, 2022 in the Gulf of Mexico where he saved nine people from a capsized vessel.
The Carnegie Medal is awarded by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission and is North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism given throughout the US and Canada to those who enter extreme danger while attempting to save the lives of others. To date the Carnegie Medal has been awarded to 10,387 individuals since its inception in 1904.
“What Sgt. Rhodes did on that day is the purest example of the meaning of heroism which is the willingness to serve others at whatever the cost,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Shadoin. “He did not hesitate to act and for that a family and especially a little girl are alive today.”
Sgt. Rhodes was on patrol on the beach of Grand Isle on May 7 when he observed a capsized vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. Sgt. Rhodes quickly launched his vessel and responded to the scene.
Once at the scene, Sgt. Rhodes was able to get eight people from the capsized vessel onto his vessel. He was then notified about a missing 7-year-old girl.
Sgt. Rhodes dove into the water and located the missing girl trapped under the capsized vessel. He retrieved the missing girl from the water and got her onto his vessel. The girl was unresponsive and Sgt. Rhodes did CPR on the girl and was able to revive her and get her breathing. The girl was then transported to an awaiting EMS crew before being airlifted to a hospital in New Orleans. The girl has since made a full recovery.
“Receiving the Carnegie Medal is a proud moment for the department and especially for Sgt. Rhodes. He deserves every medal and award for his heroic actions on that day,” said Col. Rachel Zechenelly, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division. “His quick judgement of the situation, remaining calm and doing everything correctly all resulted in this amazing display of heroism.”